The Midnight Woods
by Arevir
Summary: When at last it seems Zuko will be able to capture Aang he and Katara are flung into an ancient wooded area filled with unparalleled dangers. What happens when they are stripped of titles and are forced to rely on each other to survive?
1. The Fall From Grace

The Midnight Woods

Chapter 1: The Fall from Grace

The night air clung intimately to Zuko's arms and legs threading it's furtive claws through the openings of his clothes. However, despite the cold, turrets of warm sweat raced their way down the corded muscles of his limbs settling into the crevices of his skin. But he ignored the sticky sensation on his flesh, he had trained years in order to ignore most small annoyances including this very minor inconvenience. Clods of gray mud gilded his armor in the dreary glow that filtered through the blanket of clouds that morning and as the first true beam of golden light settled on the vast landscape before him, the final rebel died under his sword. He sheathed it elegantly, his movements orchestrated to mimic a dancers poise even in the hideousness of war.

"Sir, we've got every last one of the resistance. No one was able to keep a prisoner but we were fortunate enough that one of them spoke. The avatar isn't far, they're traveling on foot."

"Good work." Was all Zuko said as his captain bowed and waited further orders. The prince scanned the colorless scenery blanched and scarred with the marks of warfare. "What direction are we headed?" He asked impassively, finally allowing himself the pleasure of wiping the sweat from his brow.

"Due North, about a mile. The flying bison is injured, our troops will be able to reach them within 10 minutes if we go at quick and steady pace on the horses."

"Then lets go." Zuko gruffly ordered pulling himself on top of his black steed and urging it into a gallop. The soil ripped frantically under the hammering of the animals hoofs, clapping against the mud vociferously in a rhythmic melody of urgency.

Zuko had almost smiled then, he had always been close to capturing Aang but the boy had always slipped through his fingers. How old was he now, the prince wondered bounding over the fallen bodies that riddled the ground before him. 14 or 15? How long had he been searching for him?

Too long… Simply too long.

All the killing, the sacrifices, the pain of knowing he would never get to go home unless he would be able to take the avatar with him hung heavy on his shoulders. He was a battle hardened man now, no longer the teenager trying to fit into the weighty armor, no longer the child chided for his mistakes, no longer the troubled outcast trying to find a home. He fit into his armor like a glove with the addition of fuller shoulders, he learned from his mistakes and calculated situations so he wouldn't have to make them, and as for being an outcast… He was a nomad now, and that meant that no matter where he went he carried home and home was just inside his heart.

His heart of stone.

Well… A mother dead and a authoritarian father figure would do that. Maybe even being cast out of his homeland would further turn him into the monster he was now. But in all honesty it wasn't any of that because he learned to let go of those familiar loves a long time ago. No… It wasn't a dead mother or an lost home.

It was his future.

He knew what the end was going to be like, his fate after fulfilling his goal. He would be the king of a nation forged in blood and death and hate. He wasn't blind like his father was and knew of the repercussions that followed after war. His father would be feared and that would be why people obeyed.

But he would never be loved by his nation.

And Zuko knew that he would never be loved by his subjects either. He would be feared and he would die a miserable death all alone because he would never have the guts to oppose his father. So he took the easy route and accepted it as a part of him.

He became the monster.

"Shit, hurry!" Sokka whispered hoarsely. They had been cornered by the fire nation again and this time they narrowly escaped with their lives. "Katara, pick it up!"

"I'm trying." She said hurriedly leaping to a tree and grabbing a branch. She launched her body through the air in a panic and landed heavily on her feet before breaking into a run. Sokka, Appa and Aang were ahead of her darting through the sparse forest hoping they would be able to keep their luck up and escape Zuko's hands once again. However, as minutes rolled by they lost energy and to their horror the echoes of men and horses reached their ears and they knew the army was closing in.

"What are we going to do?" Katara yelled leaping over a fallen trunk. A stray branch lashed at her cheek as she leapt by, causing a strand of blood to form horizontally below her eye. Before anyone could answer they were cut short as a shower of arrows rained down over them. Appa's thick fur and skin prevented him from any harm but Momo, Katara, Aang and her brother were left to their own defenses.

"Take cover!" Aang yelled pulsing with anger as he sent a powerful wind ahead to throw off the arrows. Most were deflected but a grunt and a painful yelp from Katara signaled an injury.

"My arm…" She breathed as the blue fabric of her shirt quickly turned into a vibrant shade of red. The arrow narrowly skimmed her arm but the gash wasn't deep enough to be lethal.

"Katara!" Aang yelled running up to his friend as the army surrounded them. The water bender looked to her friend in a haze of pain. "Get on Appa! We have to at least get out of range of the arrows!"

"But they'll see us!" She cried through gritted teeth. Tears stung her glacier blue eyes and as much as Aang hated to admit it, she was right. But they had no other choice, it was either wait for the men to find them or do it now while they still had some distance between them.

"We don't have a better plan, come on!" The Avatar said before turning to Sokka. Katara's brother flinched upon seeing the bloodied arm of his sister but jumped on the bison's back as his friend ordered. The air bender jumped on himself, grabbed Katara's good arm and used his strength to lift her up. Both turned as the zip of an arrow drew their attention. There, mere feet away, the prince replaced his bow and whipped out his sword for battle.

"GO APPA! NOW!" Sokka cried. The bison took a few running steps and took off. "Hold on Katara!" Sokka yelled watching in uselessness as his sister dangled on the side of the great animal.

"I don't think so Avatar!" Zuko yelled leaping off his horse and grabbing the girls bad arm. Katara felt the spears of white hot pain shoot glaringly through her body and a tortured scream escaped her lips as the prince hung above the ground on her injured arm.

"Let go!" She screamed intermittently, her eyes blistering with hot tears. She swung her arm in an attempted to release him but only succeeded in doubling the already excruciating pain. Aang was afraid to do anything to Zuko in fear that he would lose his grip on his friend or end up hurting her, Zuko's army withheld fire for the same reason. They tried to follow as best they could but soon they hit the beginning of the thick forest, a forest they dare not tread in.

"He's going over Midnight." The captain said fearfully as he lost sight of his commander. The troops watched as their leader flew over the scared forest.

Katara felt the Prince use her arm as makeshift rope climbing up and squeezing into her wound. Her sobs were violent and she tried to hold on so very hard but she heard the sword unsheathe and knew that it was not a good sign.

It was a split second decision, a decision she hoped would end up being the right one.

"I'm sorry." She said before pulling her arm out of Aang's grasp and falling hundreds of feet to the forest below.

"NO!" Zuko yelled letting go of the girl and watching as the earth approached. The last thing the prince and the water bender heard before being enveloped by the forest was Sokka screaming his sisters name.

AN- Whew… I wanted to get that out today… Just to let you guys know, I'm definitely not TOTALLY following the series. I barely get to watch episodes but I thought that this wouldn't be totally reliant on them so… yeah.

If you happen to like art work I drew a picture of Zuko and Katara at their ages in the story (19, 17 turning 18) in my style so check it out.

http/img. And R & R!


	2. Awakening to Reality

The Midnight Woods

Chapter 2: Awakening to Reality

It was freezing, so very cold that Katara found her body quickly going numb. Her lungs seized and her body trembled with the loss of air, she couldn't breathe.

_Why? She wondered suddenly opening her eyes to the inky blackness beyond her lids. Because she was in water… Quickly relaxing and shooting toward the bright lights above her, Katara reached the surface and took in a massive amount of air. It was the most beautiful gift she had ever received she thought to herself while steadying her body in the small lake. Only moments before she had contemplated her own death in the space of several seconds as she plummeted to the earth. _

Only she wasn't dead, she was very much alive and the pain in her right arm continually reminded her of that. Katara looked around and felt the crushing fingers of beauty seize her body.

The scene before her was breathtaking to say the least, the _very _least. The trees were so thick that the small beams of light from above were barely enough to illuminate the area around her. However, she hardly had to worry about that since strange blue rocks glowed with a cerulean vigor. They were scattered all around the area and even small pebbles seemed to find their way underneath her body. The bottom of the lake looked like a starry dreamscape perfectly captured in the artic depths of the pond.

Katara struggled out of the middle of the lake and collapsed on the grass exhausted and drained from her injury. Luck was truly on her side today, how often are you dropped hundreds of feet only to land in the center of a deep pond? A billion to one shot. How was she getting out though?

Her body racked with shivers but she needed to get to a tree top to see if Appa was flying somewhere above. Grabbing a hold of a branch she carefully hoisted herself up and tried to keep her wounded limb from any movement.

_Slowly… Just a little further Katara… You can do it… Don't hit your arm…_

The teen reached up to grab a branch and suddenly heard the groan. It was a soft, barely audible sound but it spoke volumes to her. Through the thick veil of leaves she could see the outline of Zuko, his body slightly shifted in his coma. Frightened, Katara slowly inched her way back down the tree praying she wouldn't wake him in the process. However, her efforts went in vain as the sound of splitting wood was unmistakable.

Zuko finally opened his eyes and clenched his fist as he felt his weight break the branches supporting him. A loud snap began the string of events, Katara barely had time to put her feet on the earth before the Prince fell on top of her bringing both to the ground hard. A startled yelp and a moan of pain escaped Katara's lips as she made a move to push Zuko off her and run like a mad woman. But it was like he knew her moves before she made them.

The prince jumped right back into consciousness to realize that the scream wasn't from his lips and knew it could be only one other person. Her flipped over and jumped to his feet just as Katara flung to hers. Being the male, his size and speed already put him at the advantage so it was no surprise to the water bender when her arms were apprehended in a powerful grip.

"I'm not letting this opportunity go." He said snatching the belt from his waist and wrapping it snuggly to the girls hands. Zuko pushed her harshly on the ground and, satisfied she wasn't in any condition to run, sat against the tree.

"Let me go!" She yelled out in frustration. Zuko laughed lightly and smirked.

"Are you hoping that if you ask loud enough I might actually consider it?" He said wondering if she really thought he would rethink that. Katara frowned, it couldn't hurt trying… But he did have an awfully good point. Did she really think asking him was going to change his mind? No… She knew it wouldn't, but in her anger she thought of anything to say.

"I can't do anything for you." She said struggling to get up. Zuko saw this and quickly floored her again barely lifting an arm to do so. Katara hit the ground hard yelping as daggers of pain shot through her arm. She figured she might as well stay on the ground because he had the advantage.

"We'll see about that." The Prince spat taking a few steadying breaths. There was intense pain coming from his back but he figured falling from a high distance and landing in a tree wasn't exactly going to produce pleasurable feelings. "We're going back to my camp. The walk will take us a day or two, depending upon how much you struggle and how many times I have to hit you."

"I'm not going anywhere with you!" Katara bit back icily. Zuko scowled slightly and shifted in his position.

"Really? Well try to run if you so desire to. You'll learn the true meaning of pain. Ever have a dagger lodged in your back?" He asked closing his eyes for a moment. Katara gritted her teeth in rage.

_What a fucken prick…_

"I can't walk like this." She said looking at him from her spot on the floor. As much as she hated to admit it there was no way she could escape now. She would have to wait until he wasn't looking to get away but first she needed her hands to be free… "My arm is wounded… if you take off the belt I can tend to my wound."

Zuko glanced at the crimson stained limb now crusted with dirt and leaves.

"Since when did I looked like I cared? You're a prisoner now, get used to shutting the fuck up." He said before standing up and walking around.

"What are you doing?" Katara asked flipping her body heavenward. Zuko didn't answer and the teen mumbled a curse under her breath before he disappeared for a moment or so. He came back with a bundle of sticks and dropped them by Katara as unceremoniously as spitting on her face. With a quick flick of his wrist a fire started, the flames licking up toward the sky and heating her face and cheeks. Although she was cold and wet she doubted Zuko noticed so the idea of him placing fire near her to keep her from hypothermia didn't quite sound like something he could do.

"Roll on your left." Was all he said. Katara looked at him dumbly, why did he want her to roll to her side? After a second the frustrated prince simply flipped her himself and swiftly took his dagger from boot. His eyes scoured her arm and he finally decided that the best way to do the task would be to simply rip her sleeve off since he very well couldn't ask her to remove her shirt without complaints. With a deft movement and a loud rip the sleeve was gone. He walked to the waters edge and dipped the torn fabric in before walking back and cleaning the wound off with little care for the delicate state her flesh was in. His rough manner seemed to make the bleeding worse.

Katara shuddered under is violent actions praying it would end. When at last the wound was practically scoured clean she watched as he moved the dagger into the flames.

"Oh god…" Katara thought as she watched the metal heat. "Please don't do this…" She barely whispered knowing that her body was in for a world of pain. "Please, please, please…" She begged suddenly feeling the hot tears come again. "Zuko, don't do this… please…"

"Don't move." He said heating the dagger up in the flame. Katara trembled and wondered when the pain would come, her heart beating faster with every second.

"Please just let me wrap it… This isn't necessary…" She pleaded pathetically. Zuko couldn't take her whining any longer and picked up a thick stick before breaking it to a smaller piece she could bite into. He gruffly shoved it into her mouth and turned to the fire. The blade was almost red now, Zuko picked it up and placed it on her flesh quickly.

The scream was heart wrenching.

Katara's body convulsed with pain as the sound of burning flesh filled her ears. Zuko ignored her screams of protest, she should have been grateful for his help. She was getting a warriors treatment for her wounds and here she was crying into the blue light around them. He examined the wound after putting the dagger back into his boot. It would leave an ugly scar but at least now she would be free from infection as long as she didn't mess with it and kept it clean.

"You were supposed to bite into the stick." He said almost like he was bored. Katara wished that she could kill him right then and there. The teen could barely make his form out through the miasma of pain and tears, however, and even if she was given the opportunity she doubted she would ever be able to kill even a monster like Zuko. "Get up, we're going now." He spat with a hint of annoyance. Katara stayed on her side, if he wanted to move then he could move, she wasn't going anywhere.

"Go to hell."

"Prisoners don't tell their captors what to do, especially princes. I would watch my tongue if I were you because I'm sure one such prince wouldn't hesitate beating his captive." Zuko said grabbing the back of her shirt and pulling her up. "Start walking that way." He pointed to the south and shoved her callously in the back to get her moving. Katara shot him a deadly glare but had no choice but to follow his orders. Her arm was killing her but without medication she would have to pray her body kept the wound in check.

After several hours of walking through the forest in awkward silence, the woods grew darker and Zuko assumed that night was falling. Even though the path was illuminated by the strange rocks he felt the need to stop for the night. Katara was silently grateful for the rest, she seldom walked for such long distances since they had Appa to carry them around most of the time. Her limbs screamed in protest as she collapsed against a tree.

Zuko fell to the ground himself, he was exhausted after the short skirmish that morning, walking the great distance back to his camp as well as injured from falling several hundred feet to the open arms of a tree. He needed the break. Gathering some dry sticks he quickly assembled a fire and threw off the bulk of his armor. Katara watched his movements cautiously, the opening to her escape would come soon.

_God, I hope he's a light sleeper.. I can make my exit tonight if he leaves me to my own devises…_

The cold night air quickly settled among the two teens. Zuko quickly looked at his prisoner with disgust, her hair had come out of it's bands and was now adorned with broken twigs and leaves. Her clothes were torn or smudged with dirt. She looked like the filth she was and for a moment he wondered if he really needed her. For all Aang knew, she could be dead. Would having her around be really beneficial? She could potentially draw the avatar to him but if not, then his men could use the entertainment of a woman on the ship.

"Can I get near the fire?" Came Katara's weak voice. Zuko snapped out of his thoughts and looked back to her. He didn't answer and instead gazed into the orange blaze with rapt interest. Katara rolled her eyes and pushed herself off the ground half stumbling over to the heat. Zuko looked at her form and smirked wickedly as he raised his hand and raised the intensity of the fire.

"Hey!" The water bender screamed shielding her face from the intense flare, her skin roasted under the orange screen. Zuko smiled as she rubbed the cooked skin on her arms.

"You're a bastard!" Katara spat glaring into his scarred face with a vengeance.

"I've heard it all before."

"Doesn't that TELL you something?"

"It tells me people aren't very smart."

"Really? Why would you say that? I think 'bastard' perfectly sums you up." She growled acidly.

"You don't know me at all little girl, no body does. You see only what you want to see. Everyone thinks I'm the monster but it's you who is the monster."

"How dare you even begin to compare me with you! We're nothing alike! I don't kill, I don't rape villages of hope, and I certainly don't seek to attain land and people for my own selfish benefits. Maybe you're the one who sees only what you want to see." She said exultantly lifting her chin up with a suggestion of defiance. Zuko laughed on the inside bitterly, she was naïve.

"You're blinded by hope, Katara. You see a future that can never be. As long as there are people there will always be war, there will always be pain. Life is pain and you better learn that quickly. You think I want all this? Do you? You'll never know what it's like to know what the future is or to know that you don't have a choice. I've accepted the fact that this is my fate and the sooner you accept the fact that you're loosing then you'll stop fighting."

"I stop fighting and let you take over? Over my dead body."

"Don't you see? It'll eventually come to that. The world isn't for visionaries, it's for the strong. You live in this idea that if you fight hard enough to change fate, you'll save your village. You think that good will triumph over evil because that's what you're told. Well that's just a fairy tale for children so they sleep better at night. If it were true, you wouldn't be my prisoner, and your friends would have found you by now."

"And what about you? Your army hasn't exactly come to your rescue. Maybe they pray for the same thing I do and are hoping you didn't survive the fall so that your silly pursuit will end."

"My army wouldn't dare leave without a command from me or my uncle and my uncle won't go unless he finds and confirms that I'm dead. We could wait here for centuries before that happens."

"I can't believe you would accept a world wrought with anguish than rebel against it and fight for peace."

"You would hope that would happen but when it comes down to it I would rather stay alive and bow to my destiny than oppose my father and die. I tried it once and now I can't go back home, I won't make that mistake twice. This is my life, and if it means I get to stay alive at the cost of others then so be it."

"You call me a monster because I hate you for accepting defeat and becoming the tyrant you are now. But I call you a monster because you would accept that life and would choose a selfish route to save your own skin than to save others. You say the world is only for the strong and yet you are weak for acquiescing to this life style. You know, I don't hate you… I PITY you. You're a coward."

Zuko had enough, the air around him snapped with embers and his golden eyes settled on Katara's face. He stood up and walked over to her with several quick strides. As frightened as Katara was, she kept her ground and swallowed the lump in her throat knowing that he would strike her down.

"Maybe if your mother took a lesson from my book she would still be alive." He threw acerbically into her face. Katara flinched from his remark and felt the tears of suffering pierce the corner of her eyes.

"And what about your mother, Zuko? Would _SHE _still be alive if she took a lesson from your book, too?" She asked levelly narrowing her eyes as she stared up into the scarred face of the angered prince. Zuko's mouth dropped, he couldn't believe the audacity of this lowly peasant girl. His fist flexed dangerously and Katara took note but didn't concede defeat.

"I've never hit a woman before but you're bordering on the first."

"Go ahead you monster, if I was afraid of you hitting me I would have stopped talking a long time ago. You don't scare me, Zuko, and if you think that you're more of a man for not striking down a girl even though you've killed thousands then you're a sad, stupid fool." Katara throatily said presenting her cheek to allow him easy access if he planned to hit her. His eyes were barely even slits now and his teeth were gritted so tightly that he could bite through steel if presented with some.

"If I can't think of a reason to keep you around once I get to camp then I'll kill you myself." The prince said steadily trying desperately to keep his anger in check. "You're a liability now."

AN- I like this chapter… We've got some nice tension between the two. It's a lot LONGER than I originally planned it but I didn't really see anywhere I could stop it. By the way, the picture is on my profile if anyone couldn't find it before. If you guys want, I'll keep making images for the story but let me know in a review if you want it other wise I can save some time.

Thanks to the 4 people that reviewed ( -- ) … At least you guys liked it…

By the way, the beginning is going to be a bit slow as far as romance, I don't like jumping into things so fast because the conflict is always fun and heightens the moment they do get together. Also, this will get kind of graphic so … if you're young and can't handle that then.. Sorry… but if you're embarrassed about reading it in public then do what I used to do when I was 14 and just read it REALLY late at night. It's not going to be tasteless so don't worry about that aspect. Um… that's all I have to say!


	3. Mistakes

The Midnight Woods

Chapter 3: Mistakes

"Wake up." Zuko barked nudging the teen viciously in her ribs. Katara opened her eyes and stared up into the face of an irritated prince. Her muscles cramped from being in the same position for several hours straight and the ache didn't seem to want to leave anytime soon. Last night after their short skirmish, Zuko took away her chances of freedom by tying her arm to the trunk of a small tree. As much as she tried that night to get away, Zuko had made it so she would never be able to undo the knot. Now, her eyes barely stayed open since she had tried most of the night to release herself from the belts hold until she was too tired to do anything but collapse into an uncomfortable position on the forest floor.

"And I was having such a pleasant dream." Katara remarked sarcastically. She was rewarded by the prince's back and an indifferent grunt.

"Nothing for breakfast I'm assuming." The water bender guessed waiting for Zuko to undo his impossible knot.

"No." He said rather plainly, finally undoing the bond and retying her hands. Katara wanted to stretch but of course the stubborn asshole would turn down any of her request, much preferring her to suffer. Zuko picked her up by the scuff of her clothes and shoved her forward also feeling the emptiness in his stomach. The hunger pangs were much more violent now and even though both teens ignored the dull throbs the night before, they were unbearable this morning. Zuko decided that they would be at camp before nightfall and that they could skip breakfast. Besides that, the prince hadn't seen any sort of animals running around… In fact, he hadn't even heard birds singing or insects chirping into the dusk hours the night before. He heard about these woods a while ago but Zuko didn't believe in silly myths, these were just trees and plants after all. Dismissing the thought he started the long trek back to camp.

Katara's eyes narrowed as she thought about the pain radiating in her wound. Although it had dimmed slightly since yesterday it was still causing her a great amount of grief. Her whole body was in pain in fact, and it further increased her rage toward the spoilt brat trekking silently behind her.

"You know, you'll never capture the avatar." She said into the morning chill, her eyes fixated on the imaginary trail they were on.

"And what makes you say that?" Zuko asked suddenly looking to her.

"We've managed to escape your attempts every single time. It'll be only a little longer before Aang truly masters his fire bending, then you'll be done for. You might as well give up trying." She said walking with a smile on her face as if she had already won the war. Zuko glared angrily into her head willing it to catch fire and burst into embers upon contact. He sped up and grabbed her arm maliciously whispering harshly into her ear.

"And yet I've captured you." He growled before tossing her forward irately once again. Katara still felt his hot breath on her ear and the sensation was unbearable. If only she could take a shower- she would have to take 1000 to wash the horrible feeling off.

"Murderer." She mumbled under her breath before continuing toward the fire nation camp.

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"Sokka, we've been looking for hours now. She's gone." Aang said rustling the fur on Appa's side.

"But… I don't understand. This is exactly where she fell… We even landed like… three seconds after… She has to be here."

"Sokka, maybe Zuko survived the fall and he's taken her prisoner. She has to be alive, I mean… look, there is part of her sleeve and it looks like they made a fire. She must be traveling back toward the fire nation camp with him. Maybe if we stick by them they'll show up and we can rescue her."

"And what if she's still wandering around?"

"Don't you think that if she was alive she would have climbed to the top of a tree to get our attention? She knows we'll be flying over head looking for her. If Zuko's got her, then she will probably come out by the fire nation's camp. Besides, do you have a better idea?"

"No… But… She's my sister Aang… I love her." Sokka whispered into the forest. Aang hesitated, he had been dying to say the same thing for so long, and it was an amazingly sorrowful feeling keeping it inside. Everyday he traveled with Katara, just watching her smile, watching her talk, watching her in everything she did knowing that she would never love him like he loved her. How could she? He was the silly boy she rescued, her heart would never see him as anything other than that.

"I know Sokka, I know." Was all he said before jumping back on Appa and flying toward their enemy.

8888888

"He's probably dead." The captain said to Iroh.

"Don't you say that!" Zuko's uncle barked smashing his fist into the man's face. Blood stained the floor of his tent and he looked down with disgust plainly displayed on his countenance. "My nephew is a fighter, he won't let a little fall break him."

"But sir, he fell into the forest… Nothing that goes there will last longer than a minute."

"Zuko will."

"Sir, I have news." Came a voice separate from their own, a scout. Iroh looked toward him and nodded allowing him to continue.

"About an hour ago the avatar has landing a distance from our camp."

"That's… strange. Why would he come toward us?"

"We're unsure of that Sir… Would you like us to apprehend him?"

"No, he's much too powerful for just you men… You need Zuko… But I don't understand… Why would they come here? It doesn't make sense."

"I think… they think their friend is alive." The captain said cautiously.

"Their friend?"

"Yes… The female fell with the prince, sir."

"They must think Zuko has her for some reason… Captain, set up men around the southern part of the forest, if Zuko is alive, he will be coming out with the girl and we must intercept them before the Avatar does."

8888888

Katara growled as Zuko once again shoved her forward. Her feet started to ache but the prince wasn't in any mood to watch her struggle and so if she started to lag he would forcefully push her in the back.

"We've been walking for hours now without food, we have to stop." She said turning around to face him. Zuko wasn't in the mood for her complaining.

"Turn around and keep walk-" His voice faltered as he looked to where his finger was pointed. There, laying on the ground was Katara's sleeve and the pond she had fallen into earlier. The water bender looked strangely at Zuko's confused visage. Slowly turning around and following his gaze she saw what he was looking at.

"I can't believe it, you lead us in a big CIRCLE! You DO know what that is, don't you?"

"Don't chastise me, I'm an excellent tracker, this is impossible. We've been traveling south the whole time."

"Obviously not if we're back here."

"No… This… is impossible… I know…. We…" He couldn't even think straight. He knew he couldn't have been turned around… The only other explanation was the myths… They must be true then.

"What now?" Katara asked slumping against the tree. Zuko looked to her with blank eyes wondering what TO do now… "How do we get back?"

"We're not going back." Zuko said sitting by the water and placing his head in his hands.

"What do you mean 'we're not going back'?"

"We're in the Midnight Woods."

"The what?" Katara asked raising an eyebrow curiously.

"The Midnight Woods, it's a cursed forest."

"Do you really expect me to believe that?"

"Do you really think I want to be lost in this god forsaken place?" Zuko countered crossly.

"We're stuck here?"

"Maybe… Maybe not. Not very many have made it out alive or with their head intact. Anyone who steps into these woods can walk around aimlessly for hours, days, years until they die of hunger or injury… God knows what."

"No… I refuse to believe that. You must have hit your head on a branch too hard."

"Denial won't help us out of here." The prince growled. "If you plan to make it out you're going to have to think realistically."

"I AM!" She shouted wrathfully into his back. After a moment she sighed and gave in to the temptation to ask. "Well what WILL?"

"I… don't know." Zuko breathed looking into the dark water. He sat in deep contemplation for a few moments wondering what the best course of action was going to be. He could keep walking south but if he knew one thing, it was that he wasn't getting out by continuing along the same path as before.

"We're going to travel east until we get to the river." Zuko said further confirming his plan silently in his head. If they traveled down the river to the camp he might be able to make it back, and with the avatar's friend he could finally capture the elusive Aang. Turning around Zuko noticed that Katara was gone.

"Son of a bitch..."He muttered lowly. He didn't even hear her run. Suddenly, Zuko heard a snap in the woods and he darted over to see Katara sprinting away from him. The prince wasted no time an within seconds he caught up and grabbed the girl's shirt pulling her onto the ground. Katara groaned and looked up into Zuko's golden eyes. "Did you really think you were going to get far?"

"There was always hope." She spat acidly.

"And look where hope got you." He said gruffly picking her up again. Now, we're going east, and if you try running again, I'll just knock you out and drag you the rest of the way." He said pushing her ahead of him.

"Fine… I would gladly put the burden on you." She snapped back crushing dead leaves and sticks under her feet. "Why are we going east?" She asked exasperatedly, wondering what lay in that direction. When she heard no reply Katara spun around only to find that Zuko was no where in site. Before she could think about running a dull thud resounded through the forest and Katara fell to the floor, unconscious.

888888

AN- I'm not all that happy with this chapter but when I got the idea for something I just had to throw is down. I'm changing the rating down to T but when the romance gets hot and heavy I'm going to have to bump it back up to an M rating.

However, if you are young or feel that you would not be able to handle such scenes I will try to make it so that it is a separate chapter that you don't really need to read to follow the story. If anyone is really in favor of that let me know and I will try my best to satisfy that condition. Also, I want to urge you guys to email the support team and ask them to put in a character list for Avatar. It's getting pretty hard to find a romance with Zuko and Katara so if we bother them enough they might actually listen. The guide lines are on the main page along with the email address. Just write the list and ask them to put in a character list. It's that or we all have to wait till Avatar hits 500 separate entrees. So you can write a short letter or write a new story, it's all up to you guys.


	4. The Mystics

The Midnight Woods

Chapter 4: The Mystics

_God… Why more pain?_ Katara wondered slowly opening her eyes. The first thing she spotted was the last thing she wanted to see.

"What the hell, what was THAT for? When I said I would 'gladly put the burden on you,' I didn't mean I actually wanted to be knocked out." She growled sitting up from her position on the floor.

"Look around you idiot, we're in a cell. I didn't knock you over the head, someone else did and threw us in here." He said looking through the bars. Zuko's arms were crossed over his chest as he leaned casually against the wall.

"Well… Do your fire bending and get us out of here."

"I tried that before you woke up. The bars are made of some sort of heat resistant metal, it'll take something hotter to melt it." He stated keeping his eyes trained on the walls.

"Fantastic, if there was ever a cell mate I wanted to be with it would have always been you." Katara mordantly replied. "Can you at least take the belt off me now?" She asked looking up from her spot on the floor. Zuko snapped his head to her and nodded slightly before quickly taking his strap back.

"Thanks…" Katara said before catching herself. She was thanking him? For tying her up in the first place? Good job Katara, maybe next time you could politely ask him to kill your friend and torment your brother.

Luckily, Zuko didn't seem to notice she even said anything and returned to his position against the opposite wall.

"You're bleeding…" The water bender stated, noticing a long sliver of blood work it's way down Zuko's head. The prince reached up, wiped the blood, and inspected it in his hand before wiping it away. He probably got it when he was knocked over the head as well.

"It happens." He said coolly returning his gaze outside the cell. Katara felt like a fool, here she was trying to TALK to him when she should have been thinking of a way out. Luckily, they didn't have to wait long before someone appeared. Two heavily armed men walked up to the door and unlocked it. Just as Zuko raised his fist ready for a fight an old man separated the two and spoke. His language was something Katara had never heard before but Zuko listened raptly, all emotion devoid from his face.

_Probably from years of training._ Katara supposed thinking that at the moment, he looked every bit the diplomat he was to become. For a second Zuko looked a bit confused but the puzzled countenance quickly disappeared from his face and he cast a quick glance to Katara. Just like that, the two guards and the man left leaving the cell door open for both of them to exit.

"What happened?" Katara asked standing up. "Can we leave?"

"You won't like it." He replied bitterly.

"Try me."

"We're getting married."

* * *

Aang sat down and idly prodded the fire before him with a stick. He wondered if Katara was ok, if she was still alive for that matter. He prayed from the deepest fissures of his heart that she was, not only for her sake, but for his.

Fate was cruel. One moment he was happy with his family and the next he's the avatar waking up only to discover that everything he ever loved and cared for was gone. He was the last of his kind, and it was a burning ache that emptied his soul leaving it black with nothing left to give. For a while his childhood innocence was able to cover up most of the pain but along with the passage of adulthood came the realization that he was completely and utterly alone on this world. The only things he had left were his pet lemur, his flying bison, Sokka and the one girl he ever loved. And just like that, she was gone because of Zuko. The anger building inside Aang's heart enveloped him whole, consuming his thoughts and tuning them black. Her would get his revenge, one way or another. This would be the last time fate took something away from him.

Sokka looked over at his friend, a dark expression painting his face. Every so often the fire illuminated his eyes and for a long time the teen felt the sinister fingers of caution press deeply at the back of his mind. Suddenly the fire flared up and Sokka jumped back shielding his face from the heat. As he rose to look at his friend to see if he was alright dread filled his heart. There, sitting across from him, was Aang, legs crossed with his hands held almost in prayer before him. But the most shocking feature was his eyes, glowing a fierce red behind the now small fire flaring toward the heavens.

"Aang?"

"What?" He answered snapping out of his reverie abruptly.

"You… Never mind…" Sokka said supposing that if he was practicing his fire bending it was probably a good thing.

* * *

"What do you MEAN? We can't get married you dumb ass!"

"Would you stop bitching and just LISTEN to me for a moment?"

"Fine.. I want to hear what you could possibly say that will justify this." Katara yelled crossing her arms over her chest.

"That man is a mystic, and his tribe was the one that cursed this forest so that no one would be able to find their home. He knows how we can get out of here and in exchange for our services he'll show us out of the forest.

"Well why do we have to get married?"

"They believe that marriage will keep some ancient spirit from killing their children with sickness. I didn't quite catch everything, I'm rusty in the language. But it was either that or their other condition."

"Which was?"

"Sacrificing ourselves to their god. Lucky for us, they believe that marriage is a form of sacrifice, two individuals becoming one and cutting their ties to their other families."

"Why didn't you just kill them, isn't that your normal route?"

"Are you actually condoning my methods for war in this village of women and children? If you would stop being unreasonable for a minute you would see that I don't want to get married EITHER."

"Don't be a fool, I'm not condoning anything, I just don't want to get married to my ENEMY."

"WAKE UP, life is not all butterflies and rainbows. If you want to get out of here alive just suck up your pride for three seconds and accept the gift they're offering us. All we have to do is pretend we're married for a day and we can GO."

"Don't you mean we can GO to your camp so you can capture my friend?"

Zuko didn't know what to say to that. Of course it was true, he really only needed Katara to capture the avatar.

"Yes."

"Then I'd rather be dead than hand over Aang to the likes of you." She stated emphatically. Zuko clenched his fist tightly, it was a no-win situation... He could either grant Katara her freedom in exchange for her hand so they could leave this place alive or become a sacrifice to some obscure tribe's god, or if they managed to escape that, wander aimlessly in a cursed forest until they died of starvation or god knows what. Why did she have to be so… Stubborn?

"If you become my bride I'll give you your freedom." Zuko said clenching his teeth tightly. Katara looked at him incredulously, how often do you get that sort of offer?

"How do I know you'll keep your word?"

"I…" Zuko thought… What could he do to give her his word? "Here…" Zuko said reaching under his armor, he pulled out a simple gold necklace with a red stone at the bottom, the fire nations symbol was carved into it. He untied the thread, took it off his neck and held it up. "This was my mother's, it means more to me than anything I could possibly own. If I don't keep my word you can toss it." Zuko said walking toward Katara with the necklace in hand. The water bender looked at Zuko skeptically but opened her palm where he almost regrettably placed the jewelry in her hand. The look of pain on his face was enough to convince Katara he would do anything to have it back, even if that meant letting go of his chances for capturing the avatar.

"Fine…" She said placing it gingerly in her pocket. "Once we get out of the forest you have to let me go."

"Fine." Zuko said walking out of the cell.

"Fine." Katara said again walking after him.

* * *

AN- I know this chapter was brief but I didn't know where else I could stop it. How do you guys like it so far? Interesting, no? Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I'm just pouring myself into this story now so everything is coming to me rather quickly. I'm hoping you guys will keep writing reviews, (I like the long ones!)

Again, please send emails to the support staff for the character list! Read the main area of fan fiction for the directions! Sorting out stuff is getting difficult! Again, the rating is going to go up a bit as the action gets a bit lemon scented so take note now if you're not into that.


	5. All for the Children

The Midnight Woods

Chapter 5: All for the Children

As Zuko and Katara walked out of the stone and metal prison they were greeted by the blank stares of an entire village. The houses were made of rocks and plants with convoluted symbols carved into the entranceways. The trees here seemed higher than any Katara had ever seen and so some of the huts were made of wood high up in the canopy. The inhabitants of the village wore robes and had strange markings on their faces.

Zuko turned to the elder and whispered something into his ear. Katara watched as the man turned to Zuko and then to her an smiled happily. He nodded to the guards and in several seconds flat she was bound at the wrist once again. At least now the chains were in front of her….

"What the hell is this?" Katara asked rearing against the guards and forcing them off.

"I told the elder that you have a tendency to get cold feet so they agreed tying you up for the sake of their children." Zuko said as he followed the man toward a hut. "You wouldn't want to harm the _children_, would you, Woman?" Zuko asked mockingly. They sat down at a low table with the elder and he spoke to the prince with a hint of exigency in his tone.

"What's he saying?"

"He is telling us that there is a great evil approaching, our ceremony will help protect many from death."

"Why don't they just marry someone from here?" Katara asked looking at the doorway. _So much for escape... _Zuko asked the elder and he replied.

"They say that none of their available girls are of age and that she has to be a virgin. You are a virgin, _aren't_ you?" Zuko asked darting his eyes to Katara and enjoying her squirm uncomfortably under his gaze.

"No… No I'm not." The water bender said trying to convince Zuko that she wasn't. "I guess we can't get married now. Oh well, I tried. Damn me and my inability to keep my legs closed." Katara said making a move to get up.

"Slow down, they are going to… inspect you anyway so if you're lying they'll know. But more importantly, _I'll _know." He said while pulling her down into the seat.

"WHAT? No, no, no… I'm done with this, I would rather die." She spat making another attempt to get up.

Zuko's eyes narrowed as he stared at Katara, why couldn't she stop being this incorrigible idiot? Was he really THAT bad that she would rather choose death?

"Are you a murderer, Katara?" Zuko asked pulling her back into the seat. Katara looked to him with dubious eyes.

"Of course I'm not like you." She spat back, eyeing him with obvious antipathy.

"I don't think the village elder will think so when I tell him you won't sacrifice yourself to save their _poor_ children." Zuko replied with a triumphant grin on his face. Katara hated being stuck in a catch-22, especially if it was with Zuko.

_Why couldn't he be STUPID?_

"Tell them I agree as long as I can get something in my stomach." Katara growled eyeing the table before her with a slight hint of annoyance. Zuko turned to the man and spoke but was cut off quickly.

"Ayer says he already has some food coming. By the way, if you're going to be my wife you're going to have to take a bath. I don't like smelly women."

"Well excuse me but you aren't exactly roses and pansies either."

"At least I look better." Zuko replied holding his chin in the air imperially. Katara couldn't believe this, she was being insulted, held against her will… It was like having a dinner party with the devil as her guest.

"I'm sure the scar does wonders for your complexion." She retorted with a flavor of opposition heavy in her voice.

"Would you like one on your face too?" He bit back.

"No thanks. I have a lovely one on my arm thanks to you." She said coolly. Zuko tried everything in his power not to destroy his bride, it was his only ticket out of the forest but she made it _very _difficult.

Soon the servants came in bringing with them mountainous trays full of food. Both teens' eyes swelled with the prospect of filling their empty stomachs. As soon as the plates hit the table Zuko and Katara wasted no time in grabbing utensils and shoving forkfuls in their faces. However, after a minute both of them felt slightly self-conscious under the watchful gaze of Ayer and so they slowed their pace.

"Oh, don't slow down on my account, you must be hungry." He said to Zuko and so the prince continued at a much quicker pace to fill the massive appetite he had built up. Nonetheless, Katara still felt the need to act self-effacing and kept her tempo down knowing that the food wasn't going anywhere and also not able to understand what anyone was saying.

"You eat like a pig." Zuko silently insulted Katara while placing a piece of meat in his mouth. The fire bender reached over to grab his drink and brought it to his lips.

"Oh really?" Katara said before reaching her hand up and making the wine in Zuko's cup saturate his face in a bath of red. "Wow Zuko, I would have thought a prince would have better table etiquette than that but I guess not."

* * *

"Although it is rather taboo around here I will allow the girl to stay in your quarters. If what you say is true and she is apt to run away then I have no choice but to think of the children and allow this. However, if she is discovered not to be a virgin by tomorrow I am afraid that we will have to sacrifice you both. I think that your lives are enough of a reason to stay apart however, and I also don't think she likes you very much." Ayer said turning around and walking away from the hut. If he had been someone else in someplace else, Zuko might have killed him for daring to speak like that. Unfortunately for him, if he was to get out of this place alive he would have to suck up his pride and try to be at least a bit civil to those that helped his escape. However, his benevolence would only be extended to the ones that he was at mercy of right now, the water bender would sadly be spared his goodwill. Turning toward a still shackled teen, Zuko walked to where she was laying on the bed and frowned.

"I'm having the bed." He said grabbing her arm and throwing her off. Katara stumbled over the long gown the servants had given her after she was allowed a bath under the circumstance that she would not take the chains off. It was difficult to wash herself but she managed and was now smelling a lot less like a pig than before.

"What? I don't think so, you can't push me around like this all the time." She bit back walking to the other side of the mattress.

"Well you can either sleep on the floor or sleep with me." Zuko said knowing what her choice would be. Angrily huffing and gritting her teeth in rage, Katara grabbed a pillow and a blanket and threw them on the floor. She hated Zuko, he had size, strength, and speed over her so fighting him for the rights to the bed would have been useless. She felt hopeless, nothing she could do would be enough to escape and if she DID manage to, she would be walking around the woods aimlessly.

"Why don't you just kill me?" She said mechanically. Zuko opened an eye and closed it again.

"I want to get out of here." He said putting his hands behind his head and relaxing. Sleep wasn't really on his mind at the moment. "Katara, you ARE a virgin, aren't you?" Zuko asked suddenly wondering if she really was, his life actually depended on it.

"Why do you care if I am?" She asked trying to get comfortable on the ground. She considered jumping out of the hut earlier, it's location was actually up in the canopy level. Zuko had been so paranoid she would get out that he asked if the ladder up could be removed.

_Brilliant thinking… Because if I ever wanted to leave I couldn't just CLIMB down the tree…_

"If you aren't, we're both dead."

"What difference does it make if I tell you now or you find out tomorrow? Even if I did have sex before it's not like you can go back in time and stop me."

"Well I'm glad you're not a whore then."

"Having sex suddenly makes me a whore? You're a prick if you think that, there is more to me than my body and I can give it to whomever I wish. I shouldn't have to worry that just because I'm not 'pure' a man wouldn't accept me as his partner."

"I'm just saying that if you weren't we could at least try to make an escape now." Zuko irately stated not liking where this conversation was going. He had the feeling she would try to pit him in a moral quandary that he of course, could not reason out of seeing as his life was about doing immoral things for his nation.

"Well I guess it's lucky you've never allowed me the luxury of a relationship." Katara retorted.

"What do you mean I 'didn't allow you'?"

"Oh please, don't ridicule me by pretending like you and your stupid war didn't change everything."

_There she goes… _

"If you want me to say I'm sorry for ruining lives its not going to happen."

"Of course not, that would be the least you could possibly do."

Zuko didn't know what to say. No one had ever dare challenge him without the consequences coming back full force in their face and yet here was one fearless girl telling him about the horrors he committed with every reason to believe he was the cause of her abnormal life.

_How do you counter the truth when it stares you in the face? Some day you wake up and realize that you've made the people around you miserable. You look into the mirror and see the fiend you are to society and it's a harrowing experience to know your life has caused the suffering of thousands. But how do you rectify that? How do you just turn around? When you kill once there is no turning back and no one will ever understand that. Especially not you, Katara. And yet here you go on acting as if you know me and why I'm like this. That's way I hate you and your friends, you're all just a bunch of hypocrites. _

"Are you a virgin?" Katara asked after a long lapse of uneasy silence.

_Gee, way to make it even **more **awkward, Katara…_The water bender thought. Zuko snapped out of his thoughts and answered.

"What do you think?"

"I don't know. You've been doing nothing these past few years but looking for the Avatar, I didn't think you would allow yourself the luxury of a woman's company."

"Sometimes chasing after you idiots makes my head hurt. Nothing clears it up better than sex." Zuko said hoping he would put fear in Katara's heart. Zuko was trained in the art of politics and war and if there was one thing he had come to discover it was that people only followed you if you were feared or respected. Seeing as the water bended hated him, he would have to go toward the former idea.

Katara rolled her eyes, how like a man to say something as appalling as that. Of course, she never did have sex, she never even had her first kiss. How would she know? Katara knew what happened between a man and a women but… Well… It was all a rather exemplary sort of explanation handed to her, nothing that really described the true depth of an act as intimate as making love.

_What the hell am I talking about? I'm talking about sex to the last guy I would ever touch willingly on this planet. You must have had too much wine, Katara. Just go to sleep._

_---------------------------_

AN- This is actually one of my favorite chapters so far. I think it's because we can see more of the mind set of both individuals. Zuko has his internal fight to accept an easy life created by the death of others or go with that tiny little voice in his head and oppose what he's been doing for all these years. Katara's internal conflict hasn't come up yet but you should see some of it in the next chapter. I know people are probably kicking me because the romance hasn't started but you'll be happy to know that although love isn't blooming quite yet, lust will definitely be played up in the following chapters. I'm desperately trying to keep them in character but you get to the point where you wonder "ok, now I have to begin to break the rules and see how I can start the romance without going too quickly." If that happens most people tend to not believe it so…. Yeah I'm rambling…

Thanks for all the reviews! Imagine my happiness when I woke up this morning and I found 7 new ones in my in box!


	6. The Conflict

The Midnight Woods

Chapter 6: The Conflict

Katara woke up once again to Zuko's painful nudging of her ribs. She opened an eye and stared up at the prince irritably.

"What do you want?" She asked pulling the blanket closer to her body and readjusting her body to go back to sleep.

"Your food is right on the dresser, I'm going to train." He said brusquely while walking out onto the balcony and sliding down the ladder. Katara barely had time to protest before she realized that he was going to keep her locked in the room until the ceremony. Her reservations were further confirmed as the ladder was removed.

_Great… Just freaken GREAT._

Katara stood up and walked over to her food touching it with her finger and sighing when she felt its coldness. Apparently it had arrived earlier and Zuko felt she didn't need to be woken up. Her chains made an annoying clanking sound every time she moved to put food in her mouth and after she finished breakfast she wondered what she was suppose to do to occupy herself for the better part of the day.

"Lets see, there is A.) Think of an escape route or B.) Commit suicide. Tough choice." Katara said to herself walking to the balcony to see if there was any way to leave. This was a veritable hell, not only was the ladder gone but it seemed that if she tried to climb down, there were guards to pick her back up. "Damn you, Zuko." She muttered slamming her fist into the wall of her prison. Looking around from her perch high up in the canopy she spotted Zuko walking with his armor in hand. Katara moved her eyes to a few kids playing, a mother doing laundry, a --…. A mother doing laundry!

Evilly smirking she lied down on her belly and watched him walking away from her post on the tree. Sticking her hand out she used her bending to lift some water out of the bucket and flung it straight at Zuko's head.

"HA!" She cried out smiling as she watched Zuko quickly turn up the heat and evaporate the remaining water on his body. Katara couldn't stop her laughing, the prince looked around to see who had done such an _awful_ thing to him. "Asshole…" She mumbled watching him sulk toward a clearing near by. He dropped his armor and continued to train, dismissing the event as some sort of accident. Katara wasn't going to let him get off that easy however, she quickly formed another ball of water and allowed it to sneak behind the prince before letting it whip the back of his head.

"Son of a…" Zuko turned around only to find nothing. "What the hell is going on?" He asked into the wind before he felt another snap at his back. Turning around he once again saw nothing but air. For some inexplicable reason something inside him told Zuko to look toward the chamber he had spent the night and sure enough he saw Katara's dark head bobbing up and down in a fit of laughter.

"That little bitch…"

He had enough. If there was one thing you just DIDN'T do it was pissing off Zuko and Katara had enough of her escapes from his wrath already. The fire bender decided it was time to teach that little fool a lesson and so he disappeared behind a tree while she was too busy laughing her ass off to notice his absence. Just as Zuko suspected, the girl had returned her gaze to the clearing only to see that the prince had vanished.

_Lets see how much she likes games…_

Zuko skipped from tree to tree until he reached the bottom of the one she was above. Asking for one of the guards' bows, a rope, and an arrow the prince leaned against the tree waiting for the right moment. Before he walked out a few steps he tied to rope to the arrow and shot it just below the balcony. Making sure it would support his weight, the prince began to climb up and used his strength to scramble over the support beams and reach the opposite side of the direction Katara was facing. He was pleased to see that she was still scouring the ground below to see if he had returned.

"What are you looking for?" He asked crossing his arms over his chest and watching blissfully as the water bender turned around in shock. Katara stood up and knew that she had been caught.

"An idiot. He disappeared." She said before walking into the hut. Zuko wasn't going to let her dismiss him this time.

"If you think you can make a fool out of me an get away with it you're sadly mistaken."

"Why, what are you going to do about it? Hit me?" She barked crossing her arms over her chest. Zuko felt the rage build inside him and was almost near the point of smashing her little smug face in. However, he put his sensible foot forward and thought about what he COULD do to intimidate her. He could tie her up again but it wasn't like that was going to make her FEAR him so much as make her even more irritable than before.

And then he realized how he could beat the living day lights out of her with her consent on the matter.

"How would you like to get out of this room for the day?" He asked taking a step back and examining her expression.

"Is this a joke?"

"No, no joke. I'm serious, don't you want to get out of this stuffy room?"

"Of course but it's not like I have a choice."

"What if you did, would you like to walk around? It's a serious question; just answer with a 'yes' or a 'no.'" Zuko commanded making Katara wonder what his REAL intentions were. She wasn't quite sure what she should have thought at the moment but deciding he really couldn't do anything but leave her up here she answered.

"Yes."

"Then I'll tell you what, if you fight me and win, I'll let them release you and you can walk around till the beginning of the ceremony. If I beat you then you have to stop with your ridiculous games."

"I'm not stupid Zuko, you're a much better fighter than I am and by nature, you'll always be bigger and faster. There is no way a girl like me could take on someone like you."

"Well I'll restrain one arm and my fire bending abilities. You will be able to use both of your arms and your water bending. It's a fair fight."

Katara thought about this, she might just have an advantage over him but it was difficult to say, Zuko wasn't exactly the most honorable warrior…. Well she didn't think so at least. And how did she know he was telling the truth? Well… even if he DID happen to win she would at least be given a once in a lifetime opportunity to beat him senseless with his true strength held at bay.

"Fine. I accept your challenge."

"Fantastic."

* * *

Katara was given something much more sensible to fight in than her overly long sleeping attire. For a moment she felt that this was a bad idea but she quelled that thought as soon as it came. At least now she was _doing_ something. 

Zuko had a sinful smile dancing on his lips, he was eager to humble that simple-minded whore once and for all. The prince reached for his armor pulled out two small sticks that looked like stalks of bamboo. Flicking them once, they extended and he threw one to Katara.

"What's this for?" She asked examining the long staff in her hand.

"They're special training tools, I'm sure that even you are smart enough to figure that they can be used for defensive or offensive moves.

"But I don't know how to use it."

"Well that's too bad, this is how I prefer to train. There are buckets of water there so if I get too rough don't hesitate to splash me. I might actually stop." Zuko practically burst out in a fit of laughter. This was almost too easy.

"Alright, lets see what you got." He said spinning the pole skillfully before initiating his fighting stance. Katara swallowed a lump in her throat, of COURSE he would have suggested a fight, he could beat her up legally this way… Well if he thought she was going to cower in fear than he was sadly mistaken. She had trained well during the past few years and she was going to give it all she had.

"Well ok." She said before spinning the pole elegantly with ease. "But I have to warn you… I'm not going to be a push over." She said taking her fighting stance. Although Zuko refused to show it, he was actually surprised that she was able to manipulate the stick as expertly he had. Was she lying when she said she didn't know how to use it?

"Well, aren't you going to attack?" She asked holding her position. Zuko's eyes narrowed, she was playing him. He had never actually fought her before but something told him that she wasn't the hapless fighter he had pegged her for initially. The prince ran over and swung his stick at Katara but was slightly surprised when she blocked it with ease and swatted him in the back of the head before flipping backwards and returning to a combat stance behind him.

The prince turned around to see her smirking as if she had won some bet with the devil.

"I thought you said you didn't know how to use training sticks."

"I lied, is that against the rules?"

_Oh yeah… She's playing me._

Zuko ran over and swung at her ribs but stopped and redirected the blow to her legs to knock her down. Katara didn't expect his sudden change in direction an failed to block the strike, her body plunging onto the dirt maladroitly. Zuko smiled as he brought the pole down to her throat but Katara knocked the staff out of her direction and rolled backwards lifting water out of a bucket and letting two orbs form at either end of the pole.

"I thought you would be a challenge, but I've been wrong about many things lately. Without your fire bending skills you are nothing but an average idiot." Katara yelled holding her stance. Zuko gritted his teeth, she really knew how to push his buttons. Without wasting another second, Katara threw both orbs toward Zuko and wasn't too shocked to see him easily move out of the way of their projected path. Katara picked up another sphere of water and smashed it with her pole before elongating the beads and freezing them into razor-like shards. The water bender sent the icicles into Zuko's direction and was silently pleased with he narrowly escaped very few of them. His arms started to bleed with the tiny abrasions riddling his skin and the prince flexed his jaw in a fit of frustration. She was a LOT more adept at fighting than he originally gave her credit for but he hadn't been going full force on Katara not thinking he would ever really have to. However, his original conjectures about her ability were obviously wrong or he would have beaten her by now.

Using a fair amount of concentration, Zuko centered himself and prepared for a real skirmish. The prince was finally able to get behind Katara and grab her by the neck using his pole to dig into the pressure point along her spine. The water bender coughed with the lack of air to her lungs. She jumped up, flipping over the prince and shoved the pole forward to hit Zuko in the back. He was much quicker to react this time and sent her flying a few feet with a well placed kick to the stomach.

The wind was knocked out of her and she left her weapon forgotten on the ground as she grabbed her chest and tried to catch up.

"Not so sure of your skills now are you?" Zuko yelled triumphantly. By this time several villagers had gathered along the outskirts of the little fighting area and watched, captivated.

_They're no doubt wondering what that idiot is doing to his future wife… _

"ENOUGH." Ayer said walking into the ring with frustration clearly painted on his face. Katara looked to the old man and even though she unable to understand the language, she knew exactly what he was saying.

"This behavior will not continue in my village between a man and a woman who are about to wed. The ceremony begins soon, it is time for you both to get prepared." Ayer barked turning on his foot and separating the throng of villagers now hanging their faces in shame. Katara turned her fiery gaze toward Zuko who looked to Katara with similar aversion.

It was time.

* * *

AN - Well school started so I couldn't update everyday like I had during the memorial day weekend. I'm excited for the next avatar episode where we get to see more of Zuko's past! It'll be so cool! He looks like he actually had hair at one point! Oh wait… I have prom…. DAMMIT! Oh well… somebody watch it and tell me about it? 


	7. Becoming the Bride

The Midnight Woods

Chapter 7: Becoming the Bride

Katara stared blankly at the dress, she was NOT going out there in… that… band aid they wanted her to wear. What happened to the rest of the gown? Did they just conveniently forget it? For a moment she weighing the pros and cons of dying a painful death to the god of an unknown clan, or marrying Zuko.

_It wasn't an ugly dress… She thought trying to convince herself this was the best option. It was very beautiful in fact. The delicate white fabric was almost translucent, not leaving very much to the imagination. The neck line was so low Katara feared that if she sneezed the whole thing would blow away. Long slits on the bottom came up to her upper thigh and a circlet of gold was suppose to hold a long veil in place. _

So this was the husband she always dreamed of, huh? A scarred prince who wanted nothing more to see her and her friends dead was going to be her husband. Funny, she thought sarcastically, she always thought of it being different.

How wrong she was.

From outside the stone doors two women came bringing with them an assortment of oils. Katara took notice of their clothes trying to get some sort of impression about their culture. The two maidens had intricate tattoos imprinted into the soft flesh of their faces along with a piercing on their noses. They wore ornate robes of fine fabric and yet seemed to be humble and subservient individuals. Nodding to one another they began the cleansing process.

Because they knew Katara could not speak their language the women used gestures to show the water bender what they wanted. Once Katara realized that they were there to see if she had indeed, kept her word and remained a virgin, she sighed heavily and looked away reluctantly as they examined her.

Well, no surprise there. Nodding to one another they dragged Katara to a tub and began a long brutal process.

Both women harshly grabbed the water bender and proceeded to strip her of the clothes and force her into a hot bath, scrubbing her hair and making sure every crevice was cleaned thoroughly.

She had never felt so violated in her life.

After the maidens practically ripped her skin off they started to rub sweet smelling oils into her skin and brushed Katara's long dark hair. The women kept it down against Katara's wishes and instead put the gown on her. One of the woman went to get rid of her clothes but as she picked them up the necklace Zuko gave her fell out. Thinking that it must have been a trinket from her fiancé they placed it around her neck and left Katara alone to scream in pain.

* * *

Zuko had a similar experience, two maidens came in and gave him a VERY thorough scrubbing, giggling madly as he tried to push them off. For two middle aged women they were pretty strong, and it was more than a bit scary from him.

After they rubbed in the oils they left Zuko to dress himself, against their wishes. The prince was grateful for their absence however, as it allowed him to meditate before the ceremony began.

How strange life was, Zuko thought. Here he was getting married to his prisoner for directions out of this God forsaken place. He hated these woods, they robbed him of a chance to catch the very thing he wanted, they very thing that would let him return home.

"Sir, the ceremony will being now."

Zuko nodded and the servant left. _Here goes nothing…_

* * *

A sick feeling settled to the bottom of Katara's stomach. She had to keep telling herself this was for a very good reason, but good reasons don't always mean 'good enough.' The ceremony took place in a temple created out of crystal slabs. Night had already fallen and the moonlight filtered through the walls to create a blue glow over everyone who sat, which was more or less the whole village.

_This is better than death… This is better than death… It was a mantra she kept repeating but didn't quite believe in it. As the drums started to bang wildly she was guided up steps made of black stone to the top of an altar. _

_Maybe they are going to kill us and this stupid marriage thing is just a front. Maybe Zuko left me here. Maybe I should just kill myself and jump off the stairs before I get to the top. Why didn't I run when I realized he wasn't behind me? My palms are sweaty I'm so nervous. Oh my god, what about AFTER the ceremony? I hope they don't expect us to… Well I'm not going to think about that right now… _

Katara's mind was running a million miles a minute and her heart was going at just about the same pace. When she finally got to the top she spotted that old man, Ayer, dressed in a long white ceremonial robe and Zuko standing his full 6 feet beside him. His lower body was wrapped in a thick black cloth and his upper body… Well… they seemed to forget about that. Thick corded muscles covered almost every inch of him, tendons stretched under his thin flesh and Katara could see veins thrusting out of the valleys of his body. She wasn't physically attracted to Zuko but she felt the need to look away from his nearly naked body.

Zuko, however, had no such idea cross his mind.

He had never seen Katara as a beautiful woman, he had never even seen Katara **_as _**a woman **_period_**, but it was very hard to ignore the effects of time on her body. She had filled out considerably in the bust area and from underneath the diaphanous fabric he could just scarcely make out the curve of her breasts rising and falling with a nervous shudder. Her legs were long and shapely coming up to well-formed hips and a narrow waist. If Katara had been anyone else but Katara, Zuko might have been pleased to accept the marriage and make love to her until he was too tired to move.

But the problem was she WAS Katara and it killed his excitement as quickly as it came.

They placed her before him and as she came closer he could just barely make out her nipples from under her dress. However, he adverted his eyes and instead concentrated on her throat where, curiously enough, his mothers necklace was. He could smell the bouquet of oils they rubbed into her skin and the sheen off her body made her that much more enticing.

_Zuko, she's the avatar's friend. Stop eyeing her like a piece of streak. Besides, she'd probably be bad in bed anyway. You've had much better._

"I have." Zuko unconsciously said. Katara looked up to him with a bewildered visage and raised an eyebrow delicately.

"What?" She asked not quite making him out over the drums. Suddenly everything went silent and the man started to speak.

"What's he saying?" She asked softly.

"He's giving thanks that the gods have sent him two spirits to unite in marriage." Zuko answered staring at the top of her head. Katara's eyes were fixated on the man speaking.

_Did she always have such inhumanly blue eyes? He wondered._

"Now he's going over the sacred manuscripts." Zuko said just as Katara was about to ask. The old man talked for a solid ten minutes before he turned to Zuko and Katara again. He grabbed their hands and placed them over one another and then tied them with a strange glowing band. As soon as he released it the people at the ceremony cheered and a shower of white petals fell upon them.

"I don't understand…" Katara said looking toward Zuko with beseeching eyes. "Are we married?"

"Not yet, we have to kiss." He said flatly.

No use sugar coating the obvious.

"I'm not kissing you!" She said trying to release herself from his grasp. Zuko grasped Katara quickly and squeezed her hand.

"We had a deal." He bite back acerbically. Katara's eyes narrowed.

"Fine, just do it quickly." She said discontinuing her struggles. Zuko bent down, he wasn't quite sure how to go about this, did he just give her a quick peck? Although his mind was telling him he probably should, his ego got in the way. If he was going to kiss her he was _GOING_ to kiss her. His reputation as a good lover wasn't going to be tarnished by some obstinate little bitch who he thought he couldn't touch. Besides, why should he care if she didn't want a kiss? She was a prisoner after all.

Leaning down he grabbed her chin and forced her to look up at him. With a quick, deft movement he pulled his face down and sank his lips onto hers, moving in a definite rhythm and warming his lips with the fire growing inside him. Katara was at first shocked by his sudden movements but as soon as she realized what an ass he was for abusing this opportunity she wanted nothing more than to punch him. However, for the sake of their lives and her freedom she didn't think that pushing off her husband would help their chances of escape. Well… if he wanted a kiss then she would be GLAD to give it to him.

Pushing a great deal of energy into her lips she made them as cold as ice and blew into Zuko's face, pushing him away with a frigged blast. As he pulled back from shock the fire in his mouth leaked out and the result was a explosion of steam between them. The tribes people thought that this was a sign from the Gods, however, and cheered even louder.

"If you do that again I swear I'll kill you." She said only loud enough for him to hear. Zuko raised an eyebrow and was about to retort but the elder pushed them along to the chambers they would be sharing that night. As soon as they were in, the men locked the door and gave one more cheer before leaving.

"How could you? You abused that kiss you asshole, I never gave you permission to assault me in such a manner you perverted PIG!" Katara screamed.

Zuko rolled his eyes and untied the band around his wrist. "I really don't care what you think, our necks were spared." He said before grabbing her arm and throwing her against the only thing that he could tie her to, the bed. Katara bucked like a wild animal against him and pushed Zuko away.

"I'm not some sort of dog you can keep tied up at night." She yelled throwing punches his way. Zuko easily deflected her blows.

"You're only going to make yourself exhausted." He said quickly getting tired of her resisting.

"I don't want to be tied up again!" She yelled shoving him off her. Zuko grabbed both her hands and placed them above her head pinning the rest of her body with his weight. "I filled my part of the bet! Just let me go!" She screamed. Zuko thought about this, she couldn't really GO anywhere right now, she would wander the forest without direction unless he told her how to leave.

"Fine. It's not like you know how to get out of the woods or out of this room for that matter." He said rolling over to the other side of the bed. Zuko laid on his back staring up at the ceiling. Katara grabbed the blanket and covered her body.

"I'm going to need some of that tonight." He said.

"It's only big enough to cover one person."

"Then that will be me." Zuko stated snatching the blanket and pulling it over his body. Katara's jaw fell, of _course _it would be him.

"You're a spoiled asshole. I hate you and everything you stand for." She said moving to the side of the bed. Katara felt like crying, why didn't she have a choice in anything? First she gets married against her wishes and then HE takes her first kiss away. It was HER first kiss to give and the selfish bastard just took it because he didn't want to die. How did she know they HAD to kiss anyway? She didn't understand anything anyone was saying, why should she have believed him?

"And what's that? What DO I stand for?" Zuko asked rolling to his side to look at her back. Her veil had fallen off the reveal the low cut of her gown. Her spine arced beautifully like the curves of a violin. He was shocked to find that as she turned to face him, a river of crystalline tears fell down her cheeks.

"Pain, suffering, and death _Prince Zuko_." She spat with an ugliness he had never heard in her tone before.

It bothered him. Not because he had any feelings for Katara or her friends but because she thought she had him pegged just like everyone else. Maybe she did, maybe that's all there really was to him and he was angry because of it. Maybe he was angry because she really knew what he was and it bothered him that he had been lying to himself the whole time.

He was fuming now, but he thought for a moment. Maybe… If one person knew how he felt, if one person could see how much he hated his life the whole world would see that he wasn't the son of a tyrant because he wanted to be but because he was actually born a prince and with that came certain responsibilities he couldn't reject without the penalty of death.

"Put yourself in my situation Katara. My mother died defending me against my father when I decided I didn't want his tainted legacy. I never wanted to kill, I never wanted anyone to die because I wanted something other than what my father wanted. I guess that plan backfired on me, not only is my mother gone but many men have fallen under my sword because I am too coward to face my father and accept death if he were to grant it upon me. I probably could have saved a thousand lives with my demise but you're right, I am a coward in that respect… But nobody will ever give me the luxury of thinking that maybe it wasn't my choice but my _curse_. And for that, I am sometimes all too happy to fulfill their preconceived notions of who I am because no one will ever think differently." He sullenly declared running a hand over his head.

"You're right, I am a monster." Zuko finished forlornly looking out toward the walls swathed in a faint orange glow from the torches. Katara looked at Zuko with surprise etched all over her face.

She never expected in a million years for Zuko to say something quite like that. Maybe she was wrong about him. It was unfair that she considered him nothing but an animal devoid of real human feelings, devoid of life. Zuko was like anyone would be in his position and for the first time in Katara's life she felt true sympathy for the prince. His father had burnt out the passion in his soul leaving him with nothing but ashes for dreams and a scar to remind him of his place. The least Katara could do was to stop being a presumptuous fool and try to help him. He may have believed that he still didn't have a choice but she would change that, she would make him see that he could be a good person despite his past actions.

Slowly coming back onto the bed she gradually worked her way over to Zuko and placed a hand on his scar. He looked at her with the same amount of surprise she had shown only moments before.

"You're not a monster." She whispered steadily, keeping her sapphire eyes fixated on Zuko's face. The prince wasn't sure what to do so he sat their staring up into her apologetic countenance and wondering where she got the courage to touch the ugly part of him.

"No ones ever done that before." He said after a moment of uneasy silence.

"Done what?" She wondered.

"Touched my scar."

"Why?" She asked with a childlike innocence. Zuko almost laughed.

"You truly are blind, Katara, if you cannot see the ugly burn on my face." He laughed woodenly as if he had never done so before.

"I don't think it's ugly." She said seriously. Zuko stopped laughing and looked at Katara.

"What?" He asked sternly.

"I don't think it's ugly." She said again. Zuko looked at her with a curiously arched eyebrow and smiled sadly.

"The world thinks so and I know you do too." He said before crossly brushing her hand away and rolling to his side. "You may be the only one who will ever believe me when I say I'm not a totally heartless fool. You have compassion for the wicked and I think many take it for granted. But I want you to know something Katara, just because I've given you a tiny taste of how my mind works doesn't mean we're friends or buddies. I know that you will show kindness to anyone in pain because you think you can fix the world just like you think you can fix your mothers death. You're a caring person but you will never be able to change who I am. We're still enemies." Zuko contended closing his eyes for the night.

Katara wasn't sure what to think just then. For a second she thought she might have gotten through to the prince and just like that his trust in her intentions vanished like tears in an ocean. Well… They may still have been enemies but for a fleeting second she got to him and if she did it once she could do it again.

Rolling over to her side away from Zuko, Katara brought her knees up and began to fall asleep.

Before she drifted off, she felt the familiar weight of a blanket on her body and smirked faintly into her pillow. She WOULD do it again.

* * *

I just wanted to get this chapter out before I left for prom. I hope you guys enjoyed it. I'm still urging everyone to make a story till we get to 500 separate entries or send in the email so that we can get character drop down list! Also, I'm making a new story, it's another romance that features Sokka. I was wondering if anyone was interested in it? Let me know! Keep those long ass reviews coming, cause they're fun to read!

Till next time!


	8. Haunting Dreams

The Midnight Woods

Chapter 8: Haunting Dreams

Zuko walked to the edge of the bed at looked at Katara hungrily; her body was open, prone to his ravenous gaze that he consumed avariciously from. The prince felt the tightness in his pants and knew that the beguiling woman lying provocatively on the bed was the reason for it.

"What are you doing?" He asked placing his weight on his knees as he climbed on the mattress with her. Katara kept quite and instead smiled alluringly as Zuko crawled to Katara and placed his hand on either side of her body until he was straddling her. She pulled her arms around him and brought his head down to her gently brushing his lips with her own. Eager to take more, Zuko assertively put more into the brief touch of lips and deepened the kiss. He opened his mouth and urged her to do the same by gently prodding her lips with his tongue until she agreed and allowed him access to the sweet treasure of her mouth. The prince felt as if his insides would explode, her tongue was like velvet- smooth and yielding but teasing. She was lively as she playfully and gently bit his bottom lip and pulled before running her tongue over it and pulling back.

Zuko's mind was going insane, he has never expected her to taste so sweet, to be so wonderfully pliant and accepting as she spread her legs and let him nestle there letting his hands explore her hips. He bent his head down and created a stream of light kisses down her neck to the area above her collarbone. Slowly an agonizingly he let his tongue roll over the downy surface of her skin and delighted in her slight bucking as it took her by surprise. Her hands found their way to his face and she pulled him to her once again letting the fire building between them intensify.

"I don't understand… How… Did this happen?" Zuko asked bracing himself on his elbows.

"You're a murderer." Katara replied mechanically.

"What?"

"Murderer." She said again. "You're nothing but a monster. You set fire to everything I've ever loved and turned it into ash. No one will ever love you." Katara said perfunctorily as if she was a robot preprogrammed to say these things. Zuko's eyebrows knitted together as he watched her grin wickedly. He backed off her and stood up watching as the scenery changed and suddenly his father stood before him. This part was familiar, he relieved it almost every day of his life and yet now it was more vivid than anytime before. His face was abruptly seared and the flesh smoked as Zuko fell to the ground with the impact of a bomb.

"WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS!" Zuko cried holding his roasting and now disfigured face in his hand.

"You are worthless! You will never be welcome back to the kingdom you don't want. I hate you and your weakness; I will never acknowledge a son who won't accept his fate as my heir. You're dead to me."

"I DID WHAT YOU WANTED ME TO! ISN'T THAT ENOUGH?" He asked through the pain.

"You're just a murderer."

_I'm sorry father. _

"Zuko." Came a far away voice. The prince was in a panic, what was going ON?

"Zuko." He heard again only louder this time. Suddenly he felt an absolute sense of panic over come him and screamed.

Katara watched as the fire bender struggled in his sleep. She had woken up moments before to his subtle moans and now his struggling and whines had intensified. Beads of sweat formed along his brow and as much as Katara hated to admit it she was slightly worried and wasn't quite sure what was happening.

"Zuko!" She called again putting herself on the bed and placing her hands on his shoulders to shake him into reality. The prince snapped up and roared with a vicious wrath she had never seen before. His hands snatched her and pulled her down onto the bed and before she could take a breath his dagger was at her throat pressing in on the tender flesh.

"I'm not a murder!" He screamed immobilizing his wife with his weight. Katara was more afraid of him now then she had ever been before; there was a delirious haze that covered his eyes making the water bender believe that all rational thought had faded away from his mind.

"Zuko, calm down!" Katara begged, tears coming from her eyes. "Please calm down!" She pleaded not knowing what was going on. Zuko looked at her, his breathing so fast and erratic that it took a few seconds before he was able to come down enough off the adrenaline to realize what he was doing.

Suddenly tears flowed from his eyes to mingle with the sweat that had enveloped his body in a polished layer. The prince collapsed on Katara not really caring about what she was thinking at the moment but knowing that he was too upset to move. He just needed to feel someone's warmth next to him; it had been a long time since he ever had anything to comfort his only fear.

Katara was so very confused that she wasn't sure what to do at first. Here was this big, imposing man about to kill her one moment, and then shivering silently on top of her the next. Slowly her hand came up and she touched the prince's head and rested her palm there feeling the rate of her breathing intensify.

What nightmare could have been so horrible that it left a normally strong and emotionally distant man in near tears on her chest? On his _enemies_ chest?

Katara wrapped her arms around him waiting for his pulse to slow and his composure to return. Slowly he pulled himself up and looked at the REAL Katara knowing that his lustful fantasy had been a dream that quickly turned into a horrifying nightmare. It had been a while since he had one, but it wasn't something that Zuko wasn't accustom to. He was actually wondering when it would return to haunt him again.

"Are you ok?" Katara asked avoiding his gaze. She had propped herself on her arms and was attempting to get off the bed.

"I'm fine." He replied tersely feeling the embarrassment rapidly hit him.

"Zuko… I…"

What was she suppose to say? She had never seen him in such a debilitated state before and she was hard pressed to admit that she was worried and wanted to help him even more now. There was a human inside Zuko and she was going to get it out. Instead of rolling out of bed she sat by Zuko and grabbed his hand, it was unusually cold, especially for a fire bender.

"I know you won't admit it but I know that there is something inside of you that wants to be free from this imprisonment of pain and misery. I know we're enemies and I know you think that I'm just trying to fix something that's broken because it's the kind of person I am but I'm not going to give up trying. If I lose hope in you, then I think I might as well give up on the rest of the world too. I know I can make you see what I see and that if you were to look at the world in a different light things might be different."

Zuko let his hand warm up and Katara noticed the change in temperature. The whole time his gaze never wavered from her eyes.

"I don't want your help, woman. If you ever tell anyone… I mean _anyone_, what happened just now, I'll kill you." Zuko finished caustically. Katara shut her eyes in defeat for the moment and stood up allowing Zuko to pass her by. "Get something you can travel in." He said before exiting the room.

* * *

The threads of morning sunlight skimmed over the tops of the trees and trickled through the sea of leaves to fall in variable patches on the ground. Ayer had sensed Zuko's presence and walked outside of his hut to greet him.

"My servants have assembled some things you might need for the trip, I have to warn you it will take some time before you are able to leave. To get out of the forest you must follow a marked path. There are glowing blue stones scattered intermittently throughout the forest, if you look closely you'll notice that there are green ones among them. The green stones are the markers for the path and if you follow them you'll be able to leave."

"Thank you." Zuko said bowing his head slightly before returning to the room.

"Zuko?" The old man asked causing the fire bender to turn around and face him. "I value my people and our privacy, if you would not tell anyone how to leave… how to find this place… I would very much appreciate it." Zuko nodded in affirmation and returned to his chamber.

The prince noticed that Katara still hadn't changed into her clothes and suddenly remembered that she was still bound at the wrist. Taking a key from his pocket the fire bender walked over to her and let the metal chains fall to the floor in a quick 'chink.' "Change." Was all he said as he sat down on the bed and waited.

"I'm not going to do it with you in here!" She declared in indignation. Zuko pointed to a partition in the room and Katara huffed as she walked behind it and proceeded to put on the sensible traveling gear. Before the prince realized it he was watching the faint shadow that was cast by her body thanks to the light from the high window behind her. Entranced like some schoolboy, Zuko watched as she stripped her gown off easily and was now as naked as the day she was born. The familiar bulge in his pants started to grow and Zuko almost smacked himself when he realized what he was doing.

If he hadn't had that stupid dream he wouldn't be stealing licentious glances at his _ENEMY. _

_Well, it's not like she's ugly. Your body is reacting naturally when presented with the image of a young female and it's probably just a further response from that dream you had. _

Boy… Now he was trying to reason with himself. _Great going Zuko, you've just proven you're two steps away from the metal ward_.

Zuko decided to throw on his clothes and armor. He made sure that they were washed and returned to him but didn't think the girl would want to walk around in her tattered clothes so he didn't make any arrangement to keep them for her.

Katara soon came out dressed in a simple white shirt, dark pants, and boots, and although he didn't want to think about it, he found himself wondering if he would ever see her in that half naked state again.

"How do we get out?" She asked walking toward him. Zuko snapped quickly out of his thoughts.

"I can't tell you that, you might leave."

"No, we had a deal. I marry you and we can go our separate ways. I'll give you the necklace back and you can just tell me how to get out."

"No." He said simply. Katara was about to argue but she remembered that she wanted to help Zuko and if she left now she would lose what little progress she made with him. Besides, it was probably only a day's hike… If she stuck with him for that time period she might have a chance to at least change Zuko the littlest bit. If she could just make him see that he didn't have to be who he thought his father wanted him to be, then maybe she would be doing the world a favor.

"Fine. At least let me have use of my arms, I want to get out of this place as much as you do, I won't run."

Zuko thought about it for a second and decided that she was probably telling the truth. It wasn't like she was going to pick up on how he would get them out anyway.

"Let's go then." He said moving towards the door and stepping out side. The servants had placed bags of supplies by the entrance and all Zuko needed to do now was get pointed in the right direction. Ayer came over to him and knowingly raised his hand to the east before nodding to Zuko and Katara and watching them disappear into the woods.

* * *

AN- Prom sucked … Bleh…. Oh well…. It's ok… I didn't expect it to be that great. But I did get a deck of cards out of it so….

This chapter was fun, mostly because Zuko is starting to get the 'wink wink nudge nudge' effect coming from his nether regions. Got to love stuff like that.

I'm going the write this in caps so people pay attention:

EVERYONE! I URGE YOU TO DIG INTO YOUR MIND AND PULL OUT A STORY SO THAT AVATAR CAN REACH 500 SEPARATE HITS! ONLY THEN WILL WE RECEIVE A CHARACTER LIST!

Alright, I'm done talking. Next chapter will be out around… maybe Tuesday or Wednesday.


	9. His Unnerving Gaze

The Midnight Woods

Chapter 9: His Unnerving Gaze

Katara had the whole morning to think about how she was going to broach the subject of Zuko's humanity. Of course she couldn't come out like she was actually interested… He would see through it right away, the prince was trained to pick out bullshit when he saw it. She would have to slowly lead the conversation to that point.

Zuko, however, had a hard enough time trying to keep his thoughts on track. Every moment that passed was a battle not the think about his dream.

_She's not even your TYPE. Stop thinking about it._

_But god was it a nice dream… I don't have them often anymore. _

_She's scrawny. _

_She's got beautiful breasts. _

_Her ass is fat._

_Dear god, her ass is perfect. _

_Are you TRYING to find reasons to screw her? _

_I can appreciate a woman's body. Especially if I think she's a worthwhile fuck._

_So what, Katara has breast? What woman doesn't? You're just reacting to seeing her for the first time in a sexual light. But this has gone too far, you need to stop before you wind up doing something you'll regret._

_I already HAVE. _

"Zuko?" Katara asked again. She had called his name three times already and he was staring off into oblivion looking as if he was having an internal conflict with himself.

"What?" He snapped angrily. Katara flinched, although she was slightly used to his rudeness he normally had a reason before he attacked her like that.

"I was just wondering how long it would take before we're out of here."

"I don't know, the man wouldn't tell me." Zuko answered testily stepping over fallen logs. Katara nodded and followed her temporary guide through the woods. Even though Zuko was normally a prick he seemed even more unpleasant than usual. Perhaps he was regretting last night, Katara knew that some where inside he must have been angry about letting some small part of him escape and then of course there WAS this morning… How awkward was that? There was something Zuko was frantically trying to escape from, some horror so bad that he couldn't think of anything but collapsing in his adversary's arms to grab a hold of him self. Katara thought about it profoundly, it must have been his father; the only person Zuko could possibly be afraid of at this point was King Ozai.

"You're thinking about something." Zuko said faintly, his eyes on the constant lookout for green stones. They were a lot harder to find than the prince initially figured.

"People are always thinking about something."

"No… People are always unconsciously thinking about things. They think about the color of the sky, the heat on their backs, the pain in their hearts, but these are all involuntary thoughts. You're really thinking about something deeply, a _purpose_."

"And how do you know?"

"Because I haven't heard your fat trap for a while now."

"So you would prefer it if I was talking constantly?" Katara asked stopping and throwing a piercing stare into Zuko's back. The prince turned around and reciprocated the gaze with even more vehemence.

"No, it only bothers me because I know what you're thinking about."

"And what AM I thinking about, _Prince Zuko_?" She spat his name as if it was a poison she wanted to expel from her body.

"You're thinking about this morning."

"What do you expect? One moment you're trying to kill me and the next you're bawling on me like some helpless baby. Even you can't argue the absolute irrationality of something like that."

"Don't pretend to think that just because I had one brief moment of weakness you can break me into some sort of good guy."

"Showing emotion is a weakness? You are beyond a doubt a first class grade 'A' idiot. Emotion makes people stronger, it gives them hope."

"Emotion shows the enemy that you're willing to die for something and the enemy likes to know that if he can't kill you himself he knows something that will."

"Then why did you show emotion, why did you cry? Maybe it's because there is something you can't run from, and you wish there was someone there to tell you everything will be all right. You know, I bet you wouldn't be the man you are now if your mother hadn't died."

"Leave my mother out of this." He countered levelly, the iciness in his tone hard to miss.

"Then why? Why can't you stop being a killer?"

"You're asking me to stop being a prince."

"No, I'm asking you to stop being a tyrant."

"You want me to stop? Do you know what you're asking?"

"I know what it would take for you to stop but-"

"NO! You don't know what it would take and that's why you insist that I become something I'm not. You think that it would be so easy for me but it can never be this black and white world you so believe in. For me to give up my birth right and become this good guy you would be asking me to turn my back on my people, the people that raised me, the people that so believe this war is for the best. Not every fire bender is a menace like the rest of your friends think. They are mothers and fathers and brothers… They are human."

"I KNOW! I know they are! Don't you see? Those are the people we fight for; those are the people that want all this to stop. We want peace, why can't you see that? Why is going against your father so difficult?"

"DO YOU SEE THIS SCAR?" Zuko screamed grabbing Katara by the arms and holding her steady. Sparks and embers snapped wildly around him and Katara, leaving her looking at him in utter panic. "This is what one simple blow can do. This is what my FATHER can do to his own son. I will never be strong enough to fight him and neither will the avatar. It doesn't matter if he can control all elements, my father and his loyal army is enough to overwhelm even the most powerful of foes. All you have, Katara, is hope that this one boy will be able to take down a very powerful man. You can pray all you want but Aang will never beat him, just like I will never beat him."

"Oh my God… You haven't accepted the fact that killing is apart of you- that's a lie Zuko… what you've accepted is the fact that you're defeated and you think that just because you've fought and failed others will to."

"I know others will and I'd rather be on the winning side and keep my life for the life of your friends."

"But don't you see, Aang _can_ beat him. You've lost faith in others because you've lost faith in yourself. For a while I didn't even think Aang could do it but I know deep in my heart he can bring back peace. I'm not trying to change who you are or make you believe in some random little boy, I'm asking you to believe in yourself. Then, you'll be able to accept that screaming little voice you've been ignoring all these years, that voice that's been telling you that what you've been doing is wrong. You can fix the damage you've down and it won't be this difficult task you think it is."

"I just can't."

"You can't believe in yourself? If you don't, who will?" Katara asked. Zuko was livid and confused, he couldn't answer that.

"Why do you do this?" He asked wondering why she always threw him against his nation, against his morals.

"Why do you FIGHT it? It's because you know that it's unjust, and for you to accept it would be for you to accept the very life you've come to know all these years. I know it's not easy but you have to try… You said you don't like killing and that you never wanted to, but if you don't stop now, you'll just be falling deeper and deeper into yourself and I have a feeling that that nightmare that you had will be what every moment of your life will be if you keep trusting that no one can ever confront and defeat your father."

Zuko was stunned, how could she possibly know? How could she see so deep inside of him so easily? The prince had been trained to look straight into an enemy's heart, to see the fear underneath, but Katara was truly a master at it.

However, she was right. He didn't want to change because he would have to realize that for all these years he was wrong and for a proud prince, being wrong is something that doesn't come easy into acceptance. The fire bender turned back to his initial path and kept walking refusing to look into Katara's face and refusing to look into the truth. He couldn't tackle something as harrowing as that at the moment and so he preferred to run from it and ignore the reality of his existence for as long as possible.

* * *

Night had settled quickly and Zuko felt that even though it may have been a while before he got out of the forest he made good time. So far, finding the green stones was, although difficult, not impossible. Every few feet there was one glowing brilliantly among the blue ones beckoning him back home.

"We're going to settle here for the night." Zuko stated briefly. Katara merely nodded and sat down putting her bags against a tree and relaxing her weary bones. Zuko walked around the site and grabbed several sticks for a fire before setting them ablaze in the middle of the tiny clearing. Her grabbed a small roll out cot and sat down, watching the flames, captivated by it's rhythmic dancing. He had tired to block out everything from earlier but still… It would always be at the back of his mind scratching against the walls of his psyche, screaming for release from its cerebral imprisonment.

"Zuko…" Katara asked after a few moments. The prince turned to her with an arched eyebrow and she continued. "What's…. fire bending like?" She asked genuinely curious as to what it felt like to control such an element. Zuko was surprised, it seemed like she thought they were 'buddies' all of the sudden, or at least on a urbane foundation with him. So what, he was bored as hell anyway, why not talk to her?

"It's like… letting something violent out. Like a fury held back that just builds and builds and builds until you just need to unleash it. And when it comes, it's wild and rebellious and unable to be suppressed until it's burned something."

"Why fury?"

"What do you mean?"

"Is fire always… an angry sort of sentiment… I mean… does it always feel like you're letting out anger?"

"What else can fire possibly be?"

"What about… I don't know… Passion?" Katara asked not quite seeing the harm in asking.

"Passion?"

"Yeah… Haven't you ever felt passionate about something? Besides trying to capture the avatar."

"I… of course… I have. What does it matter?"

"Well… it matters a lot. What are you passionate about?"

"I'm not talking to you about it, you're my prisoner until we get out of here." Zuko retorted resting his back against a tree a distance from Katara. The water bender rolled her eyes and continued staring at the fire. She was surprised when Zuko spoke again.

"My… Mother." He said softly. Katara threw him a beseeching gaze and prayed for him to continue. "I think sometimes my passion is from my mother. She was always a wild untamable sort… She actually urged me to get into trouble sometimes. I guess it was her way of showing me that mistakes were ok, that learning from them was what life was about. My father didn't like that… He thought that a smart person would learn from other peoples errors but I… guess you don't really learn to true lesson unless you experience it for yourself."

"But… what is it for?"

"I…" Zuko couldn't answer. All he ever dreamt about was capturing the avatar. Katara's face fell, his all-consuming reason for living was to capture Aang. It was like he never allowed himself the indulgence of a real hobby.

"You don't have a passion for anything other than returning to a father that threw you away like garbage in the first place." Katara answered for him leaving Zuko to scramble for a rejoinder.

"Of course not. Believe it or not you and your friends don't run my reason for living."

"Well then tell me. What about those girls?"

"What girls?"

"The ones you went to bed with, don't you love any of them? Maybe you hope to see them again?"

"Why would you think that?"

"But… you… well… You just go to sleep with those girls with no intention of seeing them after?"

"What's wrong with that? They think I'm the best thing to walk into their lonely towns. With men off to war they have no one to vent their sexual frustration on. Of course being a prince makes it all the easier. But no, I never expect I'll meet them again and they know that too."

"Don't you love anyone?"

"No. Love is just an emotion, another weakness the enemy can use against you."

"Figures you would say something like that. You don't even love yourself, how could you love someone else? But you're wrong, love makes you strong. If there is something you would die for… You're that much more committed to protecting it. Our own resolve in ourselves may waver over time but love is something that is constant."

"Tell that the adulterous wives I meet." Zuko laughed. Katara glared at Zuko, he would never understand.

"You know what, if it weren't for Aang you would have killed me by now because you hate what you cannot comprehend. People tend to fear what they can't figure out… It's why a lot of people fear death, because they don't know what it is. It's why people fight so hard not to die."

"You don't. You seem to want the end to come with as much as you been tempting me to kill you these past few days."

"I don't fear death, and I don't fear you."

"You should."

"You wish."

The both glared at each other.

"I'm going to bed."

"Fine."

"Good night." Katara angrily threw at him. Zuko gritted his teeth.

"Whatever." He said knowing it was a childish reply but not caring either way.

A spear of golden sunlight jabbed Katara in the eye. She felt it heat her skin and she moved out of it's burning rays before her flesh turned red. The teen sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes; it was actually a lot earlier than it looked. Katara looked toward Zuko and was a bit surprised to seem him still asleep. He almost looked peaceful.

Almost.

Katara walked over to him and panicked as she saw his flexed jaw and beads of sweat line his brow. It looked just as it had yesterday morning; he was having another one of those nightmares. The water bender bent down and tried to shake Zuko awake but it seemed as if he was trapped in his own little universe. Suddenly he snapped up and whipped out his sword looking at Katara like she was something else…

"Zuko… please put the sword down." She asked eying the weapon carefully, if she made a wrong move he would spear her without thinking. In his half delirious state who knows what he was capable of? The prince took a few steadying breaths and finally realized where he was and who the end of his blade was pointed to.

"I'm sorry…" He said inaudibly putting his sword back into its sheath. Zuko placed his hands on his side and took a few more steadying breaths, Katara was right… His dreams were getting worse. Ever since he was fourteen he was having them, ever since his banishment. But now they just kept getting more vivid, his father but sometimes…all the men he ever killed haunted him.

"Zuko…"

"Just leave me alone!" He yelled standing up. "I don't want you talking to me until we get out of this forest."

Katara sighed, this was going to be a difficult task but she felt she got somewhere at least. Inch by inch she was winning and although it might make little difference in the end she was determined to stick with it until they had to part ways. They both silently grabbed something to eat out of their bags and were off traveling once again.

* * *

A few hours into their walk Zuko paused.

"What's the matter?" Katara asked but Zuko held his hand up in a gesture to silence her. He heard something, something out of the ordinary. Although he didn't want to believe it at first he now felt that there was something following them, something he couldn't quite place a finger on. It might have been nothing but… When it came to fighting he was rarely ever wrong.

"Keep your guard up." Was all Zuko said before walking again, convinced that whatever was following them previously had stopped. Katara looked to her guide and rolled her eyes, he was probably trying to scare her, it wasn't like he was going to stop being a prick all in one day.

"Whatever…" She quietly said walking over the crackling dead leaves and twigs.

_Looks like it's going to be another long day…_

_

* * *

_

AN- I like this chapter too. Man… Today I met a friend I haven't seen in 6 years. The last time I saw her I was eleven years old, it's strange! She's like… the teen version now… Heh… Well anyway, next chapter will be out Friday or Saturday.

By the way, let me copy down what I put in Ordinary Boy (and if you guys so wish, check it out because it's been uploaded.)

Here are some things that have been bothering me:

1.) If ANYONE even DARES to say 'update soon' I'll kill you. Believe it or not, I DO have a life, giving me an ultimatum not only makes my blood boil but god… I can't constantly keep trying to please you while keeping up my school work. I leave for college in a month and I can't be dealing with bitchy fans… So… keep that in mind. I know you guys like the stuff but geeeeeze… Give me a break!

2.) This is even MORE annoying… I get people who want me to update SOON and also want longer chapters. So this is what's going down:

If I make LONGER chapters… it means LESS updates and that must mean that you people will have to stop asking me to 'update soon.' (seriously, there is NOTHING more annoying than a review that just says "it's good… update soon." SAY SOMETHING! I'm writing this crap, I want to know that you guys like it because blah blah blah. Someone even told me they had nice DREAMS from my work, do you know how good I felt? Yeah… You know who you are!)

So if I make longer chapters you guys will have to wait about a week for every update verses the 2 or 3 times a week I do now. Either way, you're getting the same thing. So let me know.

Ok… There… sorry about my little bitch fest… But god… that was my breaking point.

Oh yeah, and we've almost reached 500! We have about 30-40 more to go!


	10. Flesh

The Midnight Woods

Chapter 10: Flesh

The sound of running water was unmistakable, in the isolation of the forest the loud crashing noise was like a beacon. Both Zuko and Katara were dying to refresh themselves from the sticky cover of sweat they had worked up during the day. Although it would be a while before dark they decided to stop for the time being and regain their energy before continuing on the long hike once again.

The trees were so very big here, Katara noticed. If she had been going on a leisurely trek through the woods she might have been happy to relax and take in the beauty without the constant reminder that she was imprisoned in this green living penitentiary. The cerulean stones were scattered throughout their path and lush vegetation bloomed even under the low light. God how she wished that she with someone, anyone else besides Zuko.

That poor confused bastard of a prince made her want to pull her hair out.

"You can wash up first." Katara said dropping her bags against a tree and sitting down. Zuko barely acknowledged her and dropped his things walking toward the river and discarding his armor. The fire bender tossed his shirt and bathed his skin enjoying the cooling effect the water had on his muggy flesh. Once he was finished he picked up his things and walked back to the cover of the trees dropping to the ground and casting a quick glace to Katara. The water bended stood up and took her turn bathing.

At first it was the prickly sensation on the back of his neck. It was only a minute after Katara had left but Zuko knew that _something_ was watching. He couldn't place his finger on it but it was there, on the tip of his tongue, the scratch on the back of his mind. _Something _was definitely there…

* * *

Katara washed her face, she dipped her hands into her element and enjoyed the revitalizing effect it had on her being. All this water… Right here for her… If only she could use it to her advantage, the water bender could probably use it to squeeze the exit out of Zuko but… There was that whole 'saving all of humanity' thing by rescuing Zuko from his tyrannical ways… Why couldn't life just be… Easy?

The teen took off her shirt and ran her damp palms over her arms. Abruptly, she heard a snap and her inquisitive eyes shot up to look across the river.

There, on the bank was the imposing figure of a ravenous monster. His large build rippled with the pulsing readiness of muscles; all of them taut with the knowledge of dinner frozen in fright before him. The creature looked like a wolf of some sort but large antlers protruded out from it's head in a menacing spread like the jaws of a lion. The only thing that separated the beast from his prey was the narrow band of water before her.

"Shit…" She breathed taking a few cautious steps up and backing into the camp. She raised a sphere of water and elongated it till it formed into a whip. She lashed at her enemy from the side hoping the distraction would be enough for her get help but the monster seemed to move ten times faster than she could ever hope. With one deft shift of it's weight it jumped up and grabbed Katara in his claws and braced her against the tree, reaching up with one hand to decapitate her. Katara wanted to scream, she wanted to do some many things but fear had gripped her body in a hold she could never hope to escape from.

It all happened so quickly that the water bender never had a chance.

* * *

Zuko had felt it, felt the presence of the beast and within several seconds he jumped into the trees and watched as it grabbed a nearly exposed Katara and pinned her to a tree. Zuko watched as the beast went for the kill but before it could finish it's deed, the prince jumped down and stabbed the animal between the neck and the shoulder blade. It bucked and threw him off, his body slammed into the tree with the impact of a falling boulder. Katara was flung off into the water and her head collided with a rock, streams of blood poured from the wound as she fell unconscious.

Zuko stood up and watched as the animal snarled with the plea of pain. He threw a well aimed fireball at the monster and watched as it looked toward him with hunger and animalistic fury displayed in the black pit of his eyes while it's fur burned with the orange flames of his attack. It jumped toward Zuko and the prince barely had time to evade the attack before it skidded to a halt and charged toward him with the end of his long antlers ready to spear the royal heir. Zuko grabbed his dagger and heated it up with his hand before throwing it at it's eye. Steam and liquid arced into the air and another blood curdling scream echoed through the woods.

"Come on… Just DIE already!" He yelled running to a tree and launching off it to reach the creatures back. The monster bucked wildly and tried to launch him off once again but Zuko grabbed his sword and expertly flipped off. He rolled under the beast and drove the blade into it's belly before jumping back and watching as it lurched with pain and ran off to die. Zuko slumped against a tree victorious, his back was killing him.

_Wait… Where's Katara? _

He searched the area but she was no where to be found. Suddenly he saw her body poke from down the river and he ran along the bank before jumping in and wading to her. The current wasn't strong but for her limp form it was enough to drag her a ways down under freezing temperatures for several minutes.

"Katara? Katara?" He shook her body but she didn't respond. Was she dead? He couldn't tell. The prince dragged her to the shore and laid her body on the ground. All she had was the flimsy undershirt which was now soaked, her pants and boots. Zuko went to his knees and felt for a pulse, there was one but it was slightly faint. The large gash on her head was probably the reason for her loss of consciousness but her breathing was barely existent. Was there water in her lungs? Probably, she WAS under the surface for the few minutes he was fighting. Pumping her abdomen he waited and then pressed his mouth to her frozen lips forcing air into her lungs. Frantically he repeated the process until the water escaped her lips and she sputtered.

Well… breathing was taken care of. Her wet lashes parted as she looked wearily to Zuko. Sleep threatened to take her back but the prince grabbed her head and forced her to look at him.

"Come on, stay awake." He pleaded. Katara wanted to say something but it was difficult for the weary bender to even pry her lips.

"Cold…"

"You're cold?"

She merely nodded and coughed a bit more trying to rid her lungs of the very element she was suppose to be in control of. Zuko picked up her body and took her back to the camp laying her gently by a pile of sticks and setting them aflame. He wondered if it would be enough to warm her icy flesh but he figured it was that or she would freeze to death. Grabbing her bed roll he placed it next to her and pushed her on hoping that it offered at least a little more comfort than the hard dirt. The prince searched for a blanket among their belongings but there was nothing but a thin throw in one of the bags.

Zuko walked over and pressed a hand to Katara's skin, she was still freezing. What ELSE could he do? He could make the fire bigger but it was already pretty decently sized and he didn't want to burn her.

There WAS one other option but he didn't want to even think about it. However, one sullen look to the water bender was another push into his only other alternative.

Zuko grabbed Katara's wet pants and peeled them off before working on her shirt. Surprisingly, she didn't protest and Zuko assumed she had passed out. He paused and gazed at her nearly naked body, but lust was far from his mind as he looked to her impassive face and confirmed his assumptions about her going unconscious once again. She was like a limp doll. Zuko hesitated before he grabbed his bed roll and rolled it out next to Katara. The prince discarded his shirt and pants and lay down next to her before pulling her arctic cold body against his.

Boy, if someone had told him he would be in THIS position with his enemy he would have laughed in their face before throwing them into the dungeon.

The prince wrapped his arms around her flaccid limbs and warmed his flesh in an attempt to bring her back into consciousness.

Katara didn't even stir.

Maybe she needed more time… Zuko wasn't sure, he was educated in some simple medical procedures but he was definitely no expert. He stared past her cheek and into the fire hoping that she would awaken from her comatose state but as minutes passed her body remained still.

How long had it been since he was this close to a woman? Several months, maybe even a year now. Zuko couldn't remember, his search for the avatar even superceded his lust for women lately. And yet here in his arms was one girl he NEVER expected to be practically naked with. The thin barrier of their underwear was the only obstruction that separated the two teens.

_It seems the gods like to find even MORE ways to humiliate me. You'd think getting banned from your own country is enough but I guess not…_

Zuko closed his eyes, he might as well get a light nap while he waited. However, deep sleep actually consumed him and before his knew it he drifted off.

* * *

Katara's eyes fluttered open, the last thing she could remember was that beast thing and then getting flung into the water… Wait… Where was she? Her arms and legs were suppressed under the weight of something warm… Something very warm. She felt the whisper of something balmy and wet brush her shoulder and then the shifting weight of someone behind her. Katara froze, this was… not good. Slowly turning her head she felt the harsh grip of terror holdfast to her mind and immediately her breathing stopped. Zuko's overwhelmingly large body was pressed dangerously close to her own and that wet touch had been his lips. His fingers were entangled in her hair and his other hand wrapped protectively around her waist.

_Oh god oh god oh god… How did this happen? Where are my clothes? Did he rape me? No… No… This isn't happening… _

The water bender pried herself away from his grasp and when Zuko snuggled into the now empty spot next to him he suddenly woke.

"I don't know what your problem is but you better start talking FAST" Katara demanded scrambling backwards into a tree and covering what she could with her arms. She started to tremble in the breeze and realized that night had fallen.

"It's not what it looks like."

"The hell it is! What happened? I get knocked out and you decide to indulge in your perverted fantasies and grope me?"

"Would you stop jumping to ridiculous conclusions and just LISTEN?"

"Fine.. PLEASE explain this." Katara said gesturing to the spot he was laying at.

"You hit your head and swallowed a lot of water when the creature threw you. I tried warming you up with a fire but you weren't getting any better so I saved your life and threw modesty into the wind. I can regulate my body temperature." Zuko finished. Katara looked at him skeptically because even though he looked sincere enough she was sure he was lying.

"I won't believe that for a second."

"Fine, don't. But if you aren't going to thank me for saving you from drowning, or freezing to death then at least thank me from saving your ass from being eaten."

"I…You…" Katara couldn't really argue, he DID save her life. There she was again, jumping to conclusions about the prince, wasn't she trying to get on his good side? Yeah… Of course…

"I'm sorry… I just didn't expect… That… From you… I guess. You aren't as selfish as I pegged you for."

"Just like always."

"I do NOT always peg you as a selfish prince."

"Oh really." Zuko smirked. "Lets see… When HAVEN'T you pegged me for something I'm not?" He asked standing up. Katara blushed and looked away, he was only in his underwear and by god she suddenly remembered the feeling of his body pressed to hers.

Funny, she didn't think about it before but it was the first time she had ever slept that close to someone she wasn't related to. Regardless of her internal alarms going off, Katara couldn't help but remember the feeling of his warm body pressed intimately to hers and shuddered. Although she KNEW he was a killer the idea of someone who was used to blood, war, and death suddenly being… So… _caring _was unbelievable. But the way he held her, so protective and affectionate… It was very unlike Zuko.

_What the hell… Why are you thinking about it? _

_Ugh… I wasn't… Ok I was thinking about it. Leave me alone, it's not like I've never thought about a guy before._

_Oh yeah… You thinking about sleeping with your enemy? That sounds like something you've done millions of times in the past… _

_I wasn't thinking about him like that. Far from that. I just thought it was strange that he… Was nice enough to save me._

_He just wants his mother's necklace back._

_Come on… Who wouldn't? _

_Oh my God… You think he's nice now!_

_No I don't… Come on… He's my enemy for crying out loud._

_Katara, don't fool yourself, he showed you one little act of kindness and suddenly you're thinking about him like some love struck bimbo. He GROPED you. _

_I was going to freeze to death._

_For all you know he probably just wanted to rape you in your sleep._

_That's it, I'm not arguing with myself over something as stupid as… ZUKO!_

Katara made herself angry and the prince raised an eyebrow while he watched the expressions on her face flash several times. Walking over to his belongings he picked up his pants and pulled them on before lifting up Katara's still soaking clothes.

"Are you still planning on wearing these?" He asked holding up her wet shirt. The water bender snapped out of her thoughts and looked up at Zuko. Raising her hand she sucked the water out of the clothing and let it drop to the ground. The prince threw her the clothes and turned away as she began to dress herself.

"Zuko?"

The prince turned around and mumbled something she couldn't quite make out. Probably just a simple "what?"

"Thank you." She said meekly. The prince merely nodded and returned to his bedroll. Katara stood, not really sure how she should address the current issue now, her bedroll was still lying next to Zuko's.

_What the hell… _

Katara slowly approached him and lied down on the mat with a very baffled Zuko beside her.

"What are you doing?"

"Sleeping." She replied grabbing the small throw and placing it on her body.

"Yes, I can see that but… There ARE other places to sleep." Zuko said agitatedly. Katara flipped around and sat up, bracing her body on her elbows.

"Do you… want me to move?" She asked assertively. The prince frowned, he didn't like this… He didn't like where she was going with this _at all_. How was he suppose to answer?

_Idiot… Say 'YES!' She's just a prisoner, you're royalty, you shouldn't be sleeping so close to scum like her. _

"No."

"Well alright then." She said before rolling back to her previous spot and closing her eyes. Zuko was still panic-stricken, was she trying to throw him off guard? "Goodnight."

"Yeah… Goodnight."

_

* * *

_

I just finished chapter 12 today because I'm going to be going to my friends for the weekend, it's going to be friggin awesome. We have a LOT to catch up on in six years! By the way, the next two chapters after this are a bit longer to satisfy some peoples want for longer chaps. So stop bothering me now.

By the way, I know people are pissed that I was a bitch but the truth is, I'm not a nice person! So either get use to it or go away. Seriously, I don't need people telling me I'm mean, I know it already. I was simply stating the fact that I can't stand people telling me to "update soon." Yeah… I'm going to update when I damn well feel like it… OK?

And now some shout outs to people because I feel like you guys deserve it for being so supportive and letting me hit 100 REVIEWS:

**Katara n Zuko4eva- Yeah! I love the name!**

**Nova Viper- Katara is going to be a bit more preachy in the next two chapters but you'll still see the tension tear each other apart. **

**Raven: It's not that I hate that people say update soon but it's when… that's ALL they write. Like I put some work into what I throw in, don't you think the fans can take a minute and just say a little more? That's where the real satisfaction comes in! I also like making everything slow, it always makes the moments sweeter. **

**Just a Juvenile: Zuko is pretty hard to portray but you seem pretty smart and I'm sure you could tackle him. I think it's more or less personal opinion on the matter but yes, going to quickly in a romance between them doesn't seem realistic at all so I take it slow and think about what normal people would be like in that situation. And you are totally right, burn out is common when people just decide they have to constantly keep up their fan work. **

**Falke-ness: I'm horrible at guessing so I stopped doing it. But you're sort of close! Ok… maybe not…**

**kori hime: Don't worry about it, I'm just a bitch sometimes. But hey, I really like that you guys try to urge me on but really, I'm not stopping with the story. **

**Nikiou: Everybody is so paranoid that I'm just going to STOP writing, seriously, I have a lot of ideas left and I make sure that I have a couple reserve chapters incase I do get to the point where I have writers block. At least then I can still update regularly until I snap out of it. Most of the next chapters are already done by the time you guys review. And don't worry, I won't kill you!**

**Cat: Lemonade! I like lemonade… Yes… it's going to be pretty graphic at around chapter 13 or 14... **

And you everyone else, thank you! If I missed you this time, sorry! It's 3 in the morning now and I'm pretty tired.


	11. The Heaven and the Stars

The Midnight Woods

Chapter 11: The Heaven and the Stars

Zuko inhaled and felt the corners of his mouth crawl up slightly. The scent of flowers drifted into his nose, a pleasant scent that he found refreshing and enjoyable. Something soft and warm was nestled comfortably on his stomach; although he was rarely ever in this position he found that he quite liked it.

_Wait…_

Opening his eyes he suddenly remembered that the lax from on his chest was Katara. He was surprised, apparently during the night she had crawled onto him during her sleep and now his body was suppressed under the weight of her chest. He didn't think he could find a way to move her without waking the water bender and truth be told, he wasn't actually in the _mood_ to move.

_When have I ever **not** been in the mood to do anything? Normally I'm looking to capture the Avatar and now I'm… Thinking about laying here until she wakes up._

Katara's snort rattled him a little. She snored lightly before returning back to her regular rhythmic breathing.

_Only Katara can do that and not look like an animal. _

The prince looked at her head gently pressing on his stomach and examined the now slightly healed gash that had rendered her unconscious the day before. She was certainly a fighter… Strange… Docile water benders like her should have been calm and calculating but not Katara… She was shrewd, loud, annoying. She was a fiery little bitch. But Zuko actually found that quality endearing. Her long dark hair flowed over his chest, his BARE chest… Guess he didn't get a chance to put his shirt back on last night. But the feeling that it aroused pleased him somewhat, kind of ticklish.

_Princes aren't suppose to be 'ticklish.' _

Her snort startled him again. She rubbed her nose unconsciously and shifted her position slightly.

_Ewww… She's DROOLING on me. Dear god… I should be getting up and out of here so I can sleep in a real bed and instead I'm being lazy with my prisoner._

"Wake up." Zuko said shaking Katara and prying her off heatedly. The teen drearily opened her eyes and backed up as if she had been burned.

_Am I really that bad?_

"I'm sorry… I … it'll never happen again." Katara said scrambling up and almost tripping over her words. Zuko found it a tad bit amusing that the water bender was suddenly acting like one of his servants after spilling a drink but his diplomatic and practical side quickly snapped back into place.

"You're damn right it won't. I don't want you sleeping next to me again." He snapped bitingly while standing up and putting his clothes and armor back on. Katara walked to pick up her bags and felt the need to smooth back her hair and clothes. After grabbing breakfast they set out on their hike once again.

* * *

"You know… About last night…"

"What about it?" Zuko asked quickly. God… What was is about Katara that she had to either bring up unpleasant situations or put him **_in _**unpleasant situations? She wavered for a moment wondering if she should ask but her inquisitive nature got the best of her and she dove face first into her uncomfortable question.

"Why did you save me?"

_And I should have seen that one coming. Why didn't I think of something to say to this earlier? _

Prince Zuko walked in silence for a few minutes. What the heck was he going to say? He didn't even know why he saved her. He could have lied… Could have said anything but the words that came out of his mouth made him wish that spontaneous combustion was a regular occurrence among princes.

"Because I didn't want you to die."

_Brilliant Zuko… Just brilliant. That didn't come out quite as I thought it would…_

"You didn't want me to die? As oppose to your previous opinion on the matter, what, FOUR days ago?"

"Would have preferred I let you die?" He asked testily. It seemed that no matter where they were she was able to make an argument out of anything and turn Zuko against his own word. She was a perceptive little wench…

_Why couldn't she just be STUPID?_

"Wait… Are you saying you have actual human feelings?"

"No, I only saved you because of self preservation."

"What does my life have to do with your existence?"

"The more warriors I have with me the more likely I'll be able to fight an enemy and win. Keeping you alive is advantageous to me. Why, did you think it was something personal?"

"Of course not, don't be ridiculous. You feeling for a 'lowly' prisoner like me is like your father stopping the war. It'll never happen."

"I'm glad you understand." Zuko said in a falsely syrupy manner. They continued their trek through the rest of the day stopping once to eat. They rarely talked; it was as if both were avoiding conversation at all cost. Zuko didn't want to be pitted against another ethical predicament and Katara didn't want to think about last night or the morning. However, she found that her thoughts wandered inadvertently back to Zuko.

It wasn't that she hated him, not at all. His little slips in character or rather, his reluctant conversations with her, slowly revealed that he was really a nice guy that was simply caught in a very difficult situation. It was a condition that he had been living under for so long that he honestly forgot that he didn't HAVE to be the oppressive totalitarian the whole world assumed he was, or his father INSISTED he was.

Zuko could be… Zuko. But how exactly do you just… adapt and change into a role that was never meant for you? How could she show him that it was ok to stop being this impassive shell of a human being?

What if… she taught him? Was it possible to teach someone to care? Maybe… Maybe she could teach Zuko to nurture some sort of feeling for anything, even grieve for his mother. But how was she going to do something like that? Getting him to talk about himself and his family was difficult enough, now she had to get him to show what he considered a weakness? She might as well start trying to fire bend because obviously, it was not going to happen. And if it was, it wasn't going to happen overnight. And what the heck was she going to get him to care about? Obviously he didn't like or, or even cared for her survival. She was only here to fill his need for a second warrior.

But…what if she got him to care about… her?

Would that be difficult? Probably… She would have to make herself seem believable… And how far did she go?

_Well I'm certainly not going to kiss him. No… I think that a friendship would work._

_Puuft… You kissed him last time. _

_He kissed me! I was the receiver! _

_But you have to admit, it was an... Interesting feeling. You wouldn't mind exploring something like that again…_

_Ugh… Of course I would…_

_Come on, you get Zuko to care for you and he might change his position on the war. You will be saving COUNTLESS lives by seducing the prince._

_SEDUCING HIM? I just got my first kiss; I seriously doubt I'm going to look like a professional when I try to woo him with my ungainly ways. Besides… How am I going to do this so that he doesn't wind up trying to use me like his other throwaway lovers? _

_Look… You already slept next to him… And wound up in his arms in the morning… He didn't really protest, he might already be physically attracted to you… Why not use it to your advantage?_

_True… Why do I have a feeling I'm going to regret this all?_

_Would you rather regret a failed plan or never try a winning idea? _

_I am going to kill myself when this is all over…Well… if friendship isn't enough I'll TRY that, but it's on the 'last things I would do willingly' list._

_

* * *

_

"We can't pass this before sun down, we're going to have to wait here for the night." Zuko said looking over a tiny gorge. He didn't remember flying over this but then again, he wasn't paying attention to a lot of things when he was hanging precariously hundreds of feet in the air on the side of a flying bison. From their point on the cliff they could see a never-ending sea of trees and Zuko wondered if they were traveling in the right direction. There was always the possibility that the man was lying... Maybe the sadistic old fool knew that he was the heir to the fire nation and that offing him now would benefit the whole world. Then again… He heard lots of rumors about this place, who's to say that they aren't true? The sky was rich in intense swirls of red, orange and purple. In the west it had already turned a bluish black and the pinpoints of stars glimmered in the indigo expanse. It had been a long time since he saw this much of the heavens.

The teens set up a camp and just like the other nights Zuko set up a fire and relaxed against a tree, throwing his armor off. Katara watched him and the realization that she found Zuko physically attracted unexpectedly hit her. As he slid his armor off she caught a glimpse of his taut muscles and the veins sticking out from under his thin flesh. It caught her by surprise at first, she never really thought of Zuko as another human being, let alone thinking of him as an attractive one. But the more she watched his movements the more she realized that he was a finely tuned male specimen. A warm sensation budded in her lower belly, it wasn't the first time she ever felt something like this but it was the first time it was this powerful… This fierce…

The prince took an apple out of his bag and bit into it. Katara stood up, by some unexplainable force her body moved toward Zuko and she dropped down. Zuko looked at Katara curiously, wondering what crap was going to spew from her mouth now but all she did was grabbed his hand and gently push it down before taking a small bite out of the fruit, the whole time never taking her eyes off of him.

Odd…

"What are you doing?" He asked perplexed. Katara let a small smile come to her lips and leaned against the tree.

"Nothing… Just bored. Even you have to admit that it gets a bit tiring just with the two of us. We really don't have much to do besides hike and eat in the evening and then we go to sleep. Of course there are the occasional arguments but… We don't really… do anything besides that."

"But it works for me." Zuko answered not liking where she was going with this conversation. What exactly was she getting at? That they should talk more or something? He didn't want to talk… He just wanted to get out of here. Why was she so close? Why was she smiling like that?

"Well… Don't you ever want to talk to someone? When's the last time you have a conversation? A real one? Or did something out of the ordinary?"

"Like what?"

"I don't know… have you ever looked at the stars?"

"Of course… they twinkle… what's your point?"

"I mean… really… looked at them? Have you ever tried to make shapes or -"

"Are you stupid? Princes don't waste time looking at stars."

"Come on… Stop being a prince for ONE minute of your life and just… Be Zuko. Not Prince Zuko, just Zuko."

"Well… _Zuko _doesn't want to look at the stars."

"What if… I offer Zuko something?"

"Depends what it is."

"What if I offered Zuko… me?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean… what if I didn't leave… What if in exchange for one night of him being just a platonic companion I offer my freedom."

"That is a very stupid offer."

"But you know you want it. Here…" Katara took off Zuko's necklace and held it to his face. "You get this back in exchange for your compliance in whatever non prince activity I want you to do tonight. I'm only going to offer it once, so what's it going to be?" Katara asked calmly, her glacial blue eyes never dithering. Zuko was seriously confused, how could he possibly decline an offer as great as that? In exchange for doing some stupid activities he could keep Katara and use her as leverage against the Avatar like he previously planned.

"Fine… I'll take this… You tell what we're doing." Zuko said grabbing his necklace and putting it back around his neck. Katara let a slight smile creep to the edges of her mouth and walked to the edge of the cliff to look up at the night sky.

"We're going to star gaze. Come here and lay down, and you won't be needing your sword so just take it off."

Zuko did as he was told, as reluctant as he was he didn't think that tonight would be harmful except maybe a blow to his princely pride. But hey, he was getting so much more out of it and it wasn't like Katara was going to tell her friends- she would be captured. He sat down and looked toward the heavens with mild interest, he couldn't possibly fathom how this would be fun.

"Alright… what do you see?" Katara asked sitting down next to him. Zuko looked impassively toward the sky and shook his head.

"A bunch of stars."

"Come on Zuko, you're not even trying. Look harder, what do you see?"

"This is pointless… What else IS there to see? They're just stars, random points of light on a black background."

"Maybe it would help if I asked you to find something. In the eastern horizon you'll see a constellation that forms the shape of a bird, see if you can find it." Katara asked gently. Zuko huffed and searched the sky again but even though he actually tried this time he still couldn't find it.

"I don't know." He said exasperatedly. Katara smiled from Zuko's frustration but his head was turned the other way.

"Here." Katara grabbed Zuko's arm and leaned over his shoulder pointing his hand toward the direction of the constellation. Look along your arm, that star is the beak, then the head… The body… the feet." She said as she moved his hand along the heavens. He was startled by the closeness, how unafraid she suddenly was of touching him. God it was strange, he had never done this before and was never asked to do it either. Zuko thought back to his early teens when women were tossed at the fire bender left and right. Some of their fathers and mothers assumed that getting their children into such a position would put them at some sort of immunity against Lord Ozai's wrath. He talked to many of them, was offered MANY things… But they were all the same girl, just a new face every time. Just like the same candy in a new wrapper.

Katara though… she was different… She was sort of like his mother in the sense that she wanted to experience things; she wanted to get HIM to experience things. She certainly was a mind job.

"I see it now." He said watching as the shape of a bird formed before him. Katara stood up and placed her hands on her hips triumphantly.

"See? Not so hard."

"No… Not at all…" He said more to himself.

"Zuko, can you show me fire bending?" Katara asked sitting Indian style across from him. The prince turned toward the girl with a bizarre expression decorating his visage.

"You can't fire bend."

"Don't be an idiot, of course I can't but I want to see it…"

Zuko looked at her for a moment before holding his palm up and letting a fireball form. Katara looked into it entranced before Zuko let it dissipate.

"Satisfied?" He asked.

"What does it feel like to create it though?"

"Well… You move energy into your limbs, and… it just… comes out. Don't you feel it with water bending?"

"Oh no… I can't create water. I can only control it."

"Well… what's water bending like?"

"It's… like your body is extended… And it's serene… calming."

Zuko sat in silence, he was unsure of what to say to that. Did she think she was superior to him in some way? God he was annoyed.

"What exactly are you hoping to get out of this?" Zuko asked trying to figure out why she had given something as precious as her freedom away for a civil attitude. Katara merely smiled and looked down, her face holding a sad melancholy note to it. When she looked up again her smile had vanished and her shoulder seemed to bear the weight of the world.

"Because I know that you're a good person."

"And you think that by the time we finally get out of this place we'll be 'buddies' and I'll just grant you your freedom?"

"No… I didn't expect as much as that but what I did expect was that I'd alter your judgment."

"About what?"

"About yourself."

"You really are a naïve little girl if you think that in a few days I'll undo a lifetime of bad deeds and change. Was that supposed to be hope again? Hope that I'd become what I am not?"

"You know that inside you aren't a bad person."

"You don't."

"Yes… I do. I believe it with every fiber of my being. I believe you aren't the bad guy you want everyone to believe you are. It's an act because you have to LOOK like the image your father already painted for you. Everyday you wish to forget but when you look in the mirror there is the reminder of what you didn't want yourself to be and what going with your heart did for you. You're afraid to face that again, and you're afraid to face a world that scorns your very name. So you don't, you turn a blind eye to the truth because you're afraid of it, afraid of facing your own failure as a person."

Zuko was livid, he was tired of all this philosophical crap she had been spewing out for the past few days, he was tired of hearing the truth he had been running from for the past 5 years of his life. Who was SHE to throw it in his face? Throw the pain of everything back into what he had once assumed was the deepest and most secluded part of himself? No… She wasn't going to do this any more… She was going to shut up once and for all.

Standing up, Zuko took several quick strides to her and picked her up, slamming her frail body against a tree and pulling his hand back with a sphere of fire swirling treacherously in his palm. Katara reached up to where his hand was braced against her throat and tried to pull him off, her air supply barely trickling through.

"I told you I didn't want you talking anymore. I let you slide more than enough and now you pay. This is _your_ punishment for the person you are, now you'll REALLY know what being a good person is like. You can martyr yourself now and make the world see that I'm NOT who you think I am. Will they believe you then? Will they believe I'm a good person when I scar you permanently?"

"Go ahead, Zuko. Do it. Scar me. I don't care anymore; I want you to show the world that you're just a coward afraid of the truth. Make sure you put it where the world can see, a nice little trophy I can wave around that shows you were so unwilling to be the only one who suffered for a GOOD cause. Because you're right, no one else has ever felt the pain you do… No ones ever lost their mother or their father or their homes… Just you." She whispered huskily as she struggled for air. He could barely keep his hand still, why did she DO this? Why did she accept her death, her permanent disfigurement as easily as a gift? It made him so ANGRY that she was willing to accept what he never could, and that she would do it to help the world. She would receive a scar because she wanted to help everyone else… Hadn't he received his the same way? Trying to save those inexperienced recruits from a virtual slaughtering and this scar was a reminder of it…

He couldn't do this… He couldn't hurt her anymore because he saw that he was only hurting himself. He had killed many in the past and each and every time it took a piece of him to do it. But Katara would have been the last straw; her death by his own hands would be enough to push him over the edge into the territory of a mad man. He had never killed a woman or child but if he finally gave into his urges and killed Katara he was sure that it would be the beginning of a massacre with anyone who stood in his way.

He lowered his hand and released the pressure on her throat. Katara was about to collapse but Zuko quickly grabbed her under the arms and held her up.

"You're a crazy girl." He said helping her stand. As Katara's lungs filled with oxygen again she was able to regain control of her lifeless limbs.

"Maybe I am or maybe I knew that you couldn't do it." She said holding her own. Zuko relinquished his grasp on her arms and turned around to look over the cliff again. His gaze returned to the heavens and he crossed his hands over his chest.

"So… tell me more about the stars." He commanded gently.

"Have you ever heard of the constellation Androecia? It's the name of a jack ass."

"A donkey?"

"Or you."

* * *

AN- This chapter is a bit longer but enjoy… Things are going to get a bit heated up in the coming chapters… Trust me! We are very close to hitting 500 so everyone, get ready to send your character list! 


	12. Katara’s Demise

The Midnight Woods

Chapter 12: Katara's Demise

Zuko woke up with a start and felt pearls of sweat roll down the side of his face. He rubbed his forehead and looked to Katara who was passed out a few feet away. Last night they had looked at a few star groupings before both decided that they were to tired to continue.

He looked to her now and wasn't ashamed to let a smile creep on his lips, she was certainly something else. She was willing to be disfigured for the rest of her life for the fate of the rest of the world.

How unlike him.

Instead of callously waking he up as he had the other nights, Zuko deciding to be civil. The Prince walked up to Katara and gently pushed her shoulder. She opened a bleary eye and looked to him before rousing from her bed roll and sitting up.

"We have to cross the gorge today. We'll have to be careful, we don't really have climbing gear" Zuko said looking over the precipice and eyeing an easy way down.

"Won't it be dangerous?"

"Yes… But we really don't have choice."

"How long will it take to cross?" She asked grabbing her belongings and packing before taking a fruit out of her sack and sticking it in her mouth. Zuko looked around the area and calculated some figures in his mind before returning her gaze.

"Maybe a day to get down, we'll have to take our time." He said picking up his things. Katara walked to the edge of the cliff and inhaled the early morning scent. Although Zuko knew that it was childish, he couldn't help walking silently up behind her and grabbing her shoulders in an attempt to scare her as she was pulled back from the edge. He inwardly smiled as he felt her muscles tense and then stood back as he prepared for her tirade.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?" She asked throwing him a deadly stare. Zuko shrugged.

"To make me laugh."

"Well yuk it up now because I swear, if you do that again I'll kill you." She threatened taking a few cautionary steps backwards. Zuko did as he was told before composing himself.

"Alright, I'm done, lets go." He said matter-of-factly and walked toward the cliff looking down at his previously planned route. It started off pretty easy and they would make good time until they reached the difficult point in their travels, a point they had to actually climb. However, Zuko wasn't particularly worried, the sunlight would be out long enough for them to see what they were doing and as long as they moved at a steady pace with few interruptions they would reach the bottom in no time and camp for the night.

As they started their trek Katara couldn't help but think about last night. She really felt that it was a turning point in Zuko's character and although he still had his guard up he loosened up just a tiny bit. The water bender even swore that his scowl and down turned eye brows had lifted a millimeter since yesterday.

* * *

"You have to go first." Zuko said leaning toward the pivotal point in their decent down the cliff. Katara leaned over the edge of the rocky trail, they would have to climb now and transporting their materials safely along with themselves would be difficult. "Here, tie yourself to the end of this." He demanded while gruffly handing her the rope he had already tied around his waist. Katara looked at it for a second before looking at how Zuko had done his. The prince was busy making sure nothing would fall out of their bags when they went down but as he turned back he noticed Katara constantly looking at his waist and then returning her gaze to her own. 

"You don't know how to do it." He said watching as she turned a guilty face toward him. Zuko rolled his eyes briefly before grabbing her and tugging her body toward him. "Hold still." He instructed while taking the rope and pulling it around her waist, through her thighs and back up. He finished his work and took a step back to examine the hold. "Well if it slips we know I did it wrong."

"That's very comforting." Katara ground out through severely gritted teeth.

"Just go."

The water bender leaned over the edge and reached out to a rock. She pulled her body off the platform and very cautiously shifted her weight and moved her limbs until she was down on the next ledge. She looked to her next destination a few feet down.

So far, so good.

Now it was Zuko's turn. He faired much better as he came toward her but she expected as much, his body was much more practiced and so his physical abilities far exceeded hers. As soon as Zuko reached her he nodded for her to continue and the water bender took a deep breath as she began the treacherous climb to the rock ledge. The process was repeated several times and two hours passed before they got close to the bottom of their decent. Both were glad that nothing has gone awry and their confidence increased as they moved farther to their goal.

It wasn't until the afternoon that the real challenge presented itself.

"There's no more… room. We can't go any farther." Katara declared as she reached the next platform first. As Zuko came down he inspected the area.

"Of course there is, right there." He said pointing to a small ledge below. Katara looked to her guide incredulously and gave a defiant snort.

"If you think I can scale that you're crazy. I can barely see any where to grab, I can't do it." She said leaning against the rock face. Zuko gave her a heated glare.

"You WILL go. It's that or rot here." He said tugging the rope and pulling her up straight. Katara lurched forward and felt like pushing Zuko off the edge.

"I CAN'T. There is no way I can make that. I'll die." She said indignantly placing her palms on her waist.

"Look, I'll go first this time and you can see how I do it. If you fall, we still have this rope." He said holding it up. Katara eyed it suspiciously, she didn't really TRUST the rope… But he was right, it was die trying or die here.

"Alright… Have fun." She said stepping aside and allowing him to pass. Zuko, of course, made it with ease and for a moment Katara thought that she might be able to repeat his movements. However, once she got out, the water bender's mind went nuts, there was no way she could do it.

"We don't have all day, it's going to be dark soon and after this we still have more climbing."

"I can't do it!" She yelled. "I'm not strong enough."

"You have to try." He yelled up to her. Katara looked down, she just couldn't… Zuko didn't know what to do, he couldn't really _help_ her… She would have to do it herself. "Katara…" She looked down to him again. "You remember the other night you told me that I lost faith in myself?"

"Yes…"

"Well have YOU lost faith in yourself? I know that if anyone can do this it's you, just… Try… There is a ledge just below your right foot, I know you can make it. It's not like you to give up." He yelled hoping that his little speech gave her some sort of hope. The teen hugged the rock face and nodded, she _could _do this. She took her foot and moved it down and smiled as it touched the next ledge.

_Yeah… I can do this._

Katara took another move down and gradually descended.

_Just a few more feet…_

She moved a bit more and suddenly she felt the rock budge.

_No…_

She desperately reached to grab the cliff again but she was too late. Zuko watched in slow motion as her body shifted, the rocks below her crumbled, and the water bender plummeted to the ground below. Without thinking he braced himself on the rock but her fast plunging form tugged it so violently that he was pulled off the cliff and fell with her.

Their screame echoed through the canyon before coming to an abrupt halt.

Katara slammed right into Zuko as a protruding tree captured the rope and the teens colliding into one another hanging precariously in the air.

"SHIT." He said as a rock hit him in the side of the head. Blood slowly trickled out of the wound and the prince angrily looked to Katara.

"Sorry…" She said as she looked to the ground below, they were too far up to survive a fall, they had to react fast.

"Katara, there is a ledge there… You can swing to it." He said looking over her shoulder. The water bender turned around and sure enough, she saw the ledge. The only problem was that Zuko would still be hanging and she was no where near strong enough to pull his heavy body up. She moved a bit to get to the ledge but stopped when some dirt crumbled down onto them. They both looked up and watched as the small tree started to bend with their weight.

"We are seriously fucked…" Katara said as their last chance for salvation creaked with the burden of their bodies. "Zuko… Before we die, I just want to let you know that I'm sorry I couldn't help you, I'm sorry I blamed you for my crappy life, and I'm sorry that I said anything about your mom."

Zuko looked to his prisoner and nodded. He was about to die, what does a man do when faced with his own death?

He regrets things.

"I'm sorry… about everything. I'm sorry I caused so much pain… I'm sorry that your mother died… I'm sorry that I wasn't half the man I could've been." He said feeling the tree bend even more. Katara looked to him with tears in her eyes, was he really sorry? He was about to die… maybe now that he was faced with his own death he saw the true error of his was and was able to clear himself to at least one person before he fell to fate's hands.

No… She wouldn't allow that.

"I'm sorry."

"About what?" He asked looking into her dirt smudged face.

"That I have to steal this from you." She said grabbing the dagger in his boot and cutting viciously at the her life line. Zuko panicked, what the HELL was she doing?

"What… STOP!" He commanded watching her continue to cut.

"Grab my rope, you'll need to hold your weight once mine is gone." She said. Zuko grabbed her hand and forced her to look up at him.

"Why are you doing this?" He asked holding her steady.

"So you can live. You might have a chance if both of us aren't on this rope, and if you make it… Well… Just do what's right."

"No… I can't let you do this…"

"Sure you can. There isn't much time… let go." She commanded sawing at the rope despite his hold.

Zuko didn't know what to do. He wanted to plead with her, wanted to make her stop, he wanted to scream and say that it wasn't fair, she was much more deserving of life than he ever would be.

But nothing came out.

"When you see my friends, tell them I love them." She said looking up to Zuko with tears in her eyes as the last thread was cut and she fell to the earth below.

* * *

Sokka looked up to the clear sky, he was tired of waiting for his sister, tired of everything. It hadn't been very long, a day at the most but his impatience was getting the better of him. 

"I still don't think Zuko has her." He said to his friend. Aang looked up from his bed roll and turned to his side. "She'll be here, it's not going to be too much longer."

"I don't know Aang… I'm … I'm not so sure anymore." He said with a defeated tone that both teens were reluctant to use before hand.

"Hey… don't talk like that, Look, the fire nation hasn't moved camp yet, and if Zuko made it back with Katara I know they would have made it known. There are still men patrolling the out side of the forest, they **_are_** searching for him.

"Yeah… but not her."

_No… Not her… Aang thought to himself. _

"That place is big Aang… She could be anywhere."

"I know… I know."

* * *

Zuko lost his nerves in a frantic race to find a way down. He swung toward the ledge but as he moved he felt the roots of the tree slip more and more. Death was knocking and Zuko was not going to answer it, not yet. He wouldn't allow Katara's death to go in vain. Struggling to reach to ledge, he kept moving, kept swinging but in the end it wasn't the tree that gave up, it was the rope. He heard the snap, felt the release and had seconds to look up as he fell toward the bottom of the ravine. 

Katara looked up and watched as Zuko plummeted mere feet from her into the running stream. Hopefully, his body would land dead center of the large river cutting into the valley saving him from harm just as it had saved her.

Fate, it seemed, still had plans for them yet.

He came up sputtering and she swam to him making sure he didn't suffer severe damages. The prince looked around, just as shocked as she had earlier and finally his eyes settled on Katara.

"Are we dead?"

"No… No we're very much alive." She said wading out of the slow moving river and collapsing on the banks. A water fall was not to far off, it's loud crashing echoing through the bottom of the canyon.

"So how does it feel?" She asked with a smile on her face.

"How does what feel?" Zuko asked dropping next to her. "Falling to what I thought was my death?"

"Pretty much, yeah."

"I feels like I'm invincible right now." He said looking toward the sky and taking his lucky stars the he was still alive. "Of course, our things are now soaked…" He said looking toward the bags.

"Yeah… They're still going to be damp, I took as much water as I could out of my things already." We aren't going to have much of a fire, there aren't any trees down here…or any dead plants that we can use.

"Well… we'll find a way." He said rolling out his soggy mat. Katara took the water out and put it back into the stream.

"We made it before nightfall." Katara said, looking on the bright side. Zuko gave her a look that said she was absolutely insane but she didn't mind, they were ALIVE. Both of them tried to keep warm, Zuko had no problem but Katara wasn't fairing quite well. Her clothes still maintained a dampness and without a fire she wasn't able to warm herself. Zuko looked to her and noticed her shivers, his heart opened up a bit-- she DID sacrifice herself so that he could live, even if it wasn't necessary. He also said those things… And the scary part was that he MEANT it… He never expected he would have to actually face her again though… But here they were… Alive as ever. And there she was, shivering in the fast approaching night chill.

"Come here." He said motioning for the water bender. Katara looked to Zuko suspiciously but stood up and walked to his prone body. "Lay down." He commanded and watched as the teen obeyed albeit reluctantly. Zuko suddenly grabbed her and let an orange haze cover her, warming her chilled skin. She watched him concentrate slightly and then his hands abandoned her. "Better?" He asked a bit awkwardly, he wasn't very accustom to something like this. Katara slowly nodded.

For a while neither said a thing, both just knew that the air around them had changed, that they were on a new ground with each other. But it was scary… A frightening sensation.

"Did you really mean what you said?" Katara asked wearily. Zuko felt a blush bloom on his cheeks, he hadn't reddened like that since he was a kid. He couldn't lie about it, they both knew that. Maybe she just wanted him to admit it now that he could change his mind-- but he refused to.

"Yes… I meant it." He said leaning on his elbows casually. Katara adverted her gaze and instead focused on the water before her. She nodded and sat a few feet back resting her body. Zuko watched her and felt something strange well up inside of him, something he hadn't felt in a long time.

Compassion.

He really cared for her, he cared for this stupid little girl that had tried to save him, this girl who was willing to give up her life so that he could live. He watched as she made aimless patterns in the dirt, her eyes focused on something he couldn't really see, she was thinking deeply about what he said.

He couldn't go back now, he couldn't return to his nation with the same view about the world as before. Zuko would face his father and win or die trying.

Katara pulled her knees to her chest and sat in deep thought, she really did it, she really made Zuko change. Now she could go back to her friends… Wait… She couldn't… She had signed her freedom over for that night. Well… At least now she knew she wasn't in any real danger… Or so she thought…

Zuko stood up and walked to her small body dropping the small throw by her. She didn't notice him until she felt the air that kicked up from the fallen blanket. Her eyes looked to him beseechingly, questioning his presence next to her but he merely sat down and gave her an apple.

"You threw yours at me this morning." He said as she took a bite of the fruit.

Something different came to him this time, something a bit more primal as he watched the sweet liquid escape her lips and run down her chin.

Lust.

Plain and simple.

He did hold it in the past few days because it wasn't as strong a sentiment as it was now. Now… Now it felt like an unstoppable force, something that raged riotously inside of him begging for release. Maybe his appreciation for her help was clouding his thoughts, maybe he was misinterpreting it all into something it wasn't. But he certainly felt the pangs of desire hit him hard as her full lips brushed over the flesh of the apple. And suddenly he was wishing it was HIS flesh, that her sweet lips were dancing over him as hungrily as it was going over the fruit.

_I'm jealous over produce… There really is no end to the insanity…_

He couldn't help it anymore. Taking her face into his hands he closed the proximity and kissed her.

Katara was stunned, although she was surprised this kiss was something she never expected from him again. But it was certainly different from the first time, it was softer, it was gentle. She could barely call it a kiss. His lips were firm though as they pressed delicately against her and she at first was still confused. She felt his tongue drink in the taste of the apple on her skin and then almost reluctantly he pulled away. Katara sat their bewildered and taken aback. Her anxious eyes told him that he was a bit out of line… Ok… He was _way _out of line but he couldn't brush off the memory of her sweetness out of his consciousness.

She didn't know what to say, or if she should say anything… She wasn't sure if she should slap him for doing it … or.. Thank him.

For a while she thought she was going to die and plummet to her death. Human nature makes people do things, when faced with death you want to erase it from your mind by doing a life affirming process which more or less is… sex. And even though she wasn't ready to do something like that she was certainly not rejecting the comforting warmth his body or his mouth offered.

_But he's your enemy!_

_He… changed…_

_Are you sure?_

_No… But I don't care._

Katara pulled him back to her and finally indulged in the primal impulses she had ignored for so very long. All the frustration, all the disappointments and her fears… Every emotion she ever felt for Zuko was pushed into this one kiss. Zuko was thrilled, he never expected THIS response… It was amazing, never had he felt this… electricity. Her mouth was as greedy as his, as insatiable as he had been to take. Katara moaned into him, her body shivering with the new feelings that washed over her. This was amazing, this feeling was pure ecstasy. Her senses exploded, it was as if she felt everything and nothing in that very moment, she was numb and yet she was not. His demanding mouth was sweet and overwhelming as it slanted over and over again. They both sat up wrapping their arms around each other. His mouth finally left hers and traveled down to the soft flesh of her throat and he was pleased when the soft sighs and moans of delight escaped her lips to rest in his ears. He couldn't stop himself from moving, couldn't get enough of her as he kissed her neck over and over again stopping to nurse the bruises he had put there the night before. And then he found a sweet spot for her, the area below her ear. He could feel her pulse, feel her rapid heart beating trying to catch up and he ran his hand over the area pulling back to examine her eyes glazed over with desire. His hand traveled over her clothes and rested on her hips and he propped her on his lap watching her breathe.

He wanted to go so much farther but he couldn't explain the force holding him back.

"I can't." He said knowing that he VERY well could. Katara looked disappointed but she suddenly felt the rude awakening of where she was and WHAT she was doing.

"Oh… oh god… I'm sorry…" She stood up and backed away from him. What was she… thinking? "I wasn't thinking at all…"

"No… I … I'm sorry… I didn't mean to."

"What?"

"I didn't mean to kiss you." He said contritely while wringing his hands. Katara felt something sting her pride at his statement. Well… Did he just HAPPEN to forget that putting ones lips together was called a kiss?

"Why did you?" She wondered looking down to him.

He froze, another question he couldn't answer.

"I don't know." He said almost as if he was ashamed. Katara nodded, she expected as much, what did she think he was going to say? And why did it disappoint her that he couldn't answer the question?

_Because you wanted something more… _

"Please… don't… do that again." She said walking to grab her bedroll and throwing it out heatedly. Now she was angry, why was she angry? She didn't even like Zuko, she was reacting to her near death experience.

"Katara, I-"

"Just leave me alone." She threw over her shoulder and laid down to sleep. Zuko bit his lip and collapsed on the ground. He wasn't going to make that mistake again.

* * *

Sorry this took so long to get out. I've been busy (getting drunk) and … stuff. I'm making a avatar RPG so if anyone is interested email me at criminalcandy at aol dot com(sorry, just replace the at with ... you get the point... and get rid of the spaces... This document thing gets rid of things like that) 


	13. Five Years of Sorrow

The Midnight Woods

Chapter 13: Five Years of Sorrow

The morning was awkward but Katara didn't really care for once, it was Zuko who had a hard time looking into her face. They both sat a distance from each other eating breakfast and when the time came to travel again, neither wanted to even acknowledge each other. Through a series of grunts they communicated and while the prince's head was dropped in shame, Katara's chin was held high in sanctimonious reserve.

And of course, their biggest battle was pushing out the thought of the kiss.

Katara felt that Zuko took advantage of her and Zuko felt that he was misinterpreting her caring and philanthropic temperament. He reasoned that he hated the kiss, he hated that she was so inexperienced at it.

And yet…

She was so aggressive, more than he expected from the normally composed water bender. Her tenacity about refusing his advances completely turned around in that heated moment. It probably only lasted a few seconds but it felt like it took forever. And it wasn't even a deep kiss… But he felt a passion like nothing he ever tasted, a saccharine elation that sweetened his mind with pleasure.

_No… I can't think like that… She is a POISON._

Katara couldn't seem to pull herself off the subject either. Her mind was running so fast, so frenetically in an attempt to understand what had happened that she abandoned caution. She just KNEW he was evil, a murderer, a recovering oppressor that took advantage of his situations… But how could she deny the desire that burned so unmistakably in her body the night before? The feelings that warmed her lower abdomen was something she wanted to feel again.

But not with ZUKO!

The day passed in an excruciating minute by minute basis. It had to have been the longest day for either of them. They followed the river down and eventually the sun hung in the western horizon ready to relinquish it's rule to the ethereal moon.

And again, they set up camp-- miles from each other.

"I'm taking a bath first." Katara barked to Zuko holding her head high and walking off. The prince didn't argue, didn't have the desire to protest for once. Her bath was relatively quick and after she used the oils that were packed in the bag she changed into clean clothes. When she came back Zuko had already shed his armor and had a fire going. He brushed past his prisoner and dipped into the water thinking about his situation and what he was going to do about it.

_God… I can't stand it._

_Stand what? Her?_

_She's… Changing my life! Everything was perfect until she fucked it all up with her 'lets save humanity' outlook. And then she just HAD to be a woman… She just had to make me… think about my life. And now, I can't make a decision because I'm afraid of what she'll think and I don't even really CARE about her. Sure, she saved my life but that's it. But now… it's like I can't erase her out of my thoughts, my private thoughts… My SEXUAL thoughts… _

_Maybe you like her. She helped you, who, beside Iroh, has been able to make you see the world in a different light? She didn't really alter who you are, she brought back the man you use to be, the man that wanted to save a few good lives._

_Was that really me?_

_Would you question your own life if it wasn't?_

_No… But she's my enemy._

_Because you said so or because your father did? _

_Because… my father._

_You owe her for everything and yet all you can do is complain that she's your enemy. The truth is Zuko, you are afraid of her. You are afraid of her because you're afraid that you might actually care for someone. You're afraid that it's the last woman who SHOULD ever care for you, the last person that your father wanted you to be with. But you can't deny it anymore, you can't deny that you really do like her despite the fact that you treat her like dirt. And right now, she thinks that she has that over you, that you should never have touched her. So here you are crying about it while she holds her snobbish chin up high.  
_

_Yeah… Damn her. She reacted to the kiss too!_

_Exactly. Go and tell that conceited bitch what she's missing._

Zuko finished his bath, threw on his pants, and marched right into the camp with a tight smile and imposing walk. Katara didn't even look up from her spot on the floor.

"Get up." Zuko commanded icily while throwing a harsh glare in her direction. Katara looked to Zuko with a raised eyebrow and scoffed.

"No way, I don't have to do what you say." She sneered. Zuko walked over and picked her up forcefully, throwing her body against a tree. Katara's jaw fell and she threw him a deadly look. "What the HELL is your problem?"

"You."

"Excuse me?"

"You think you can be Miss 'high and mighty' because you think I was wrong for kissing you."

"Because you think that you can take advantage of me!"

"How can you think that?"

"You HATE me!"

"I…. Don't hate you." He ground out. Katara paused and had a hard time believing him. But when his adverted gaze returned to her eyes she begged him to explain, however, he said nothing.

"I don't understand, I thought you hated me for-."

"I DO… I hate you for intruding on my comfortable world…" He said heatedly before cooling his tone a bit. "I thought I was happy and then you came in and fucked it up…. But…. I realized… that I wasn't happy at all… That I was pretending for the world that I liked being a tyrant because I was afraid of my father. But… It's not true. You gave me back a part of myself that I lost along the way… and for that I can't really hate you."

"But why did you kiss me?" She beseeched with moist eyes. Zuko hesitated, something he was doing a lot of lately. He could barely answer simple questions anymore.

"I …. I don't know… I can't answer that." He said honestly.

"Then let me go." She said moving out of the way. Zuko pinned her back to the tree, he wrestled with himself and what he wanted to say… It was all so… Strange and difficult for him to get it out, difficult for him to express himself in a manner he rarely had before.

"Please… Don't… Just give me a minute."

"Zuko you had a minute, you had a whole goddamn DAY. You can't even answer a simple question for me and I'm not going to sit here and watch you struggle to make up some lie."

"But it's NOT A LIE!"

"WHAT THEN? WHAT'S NOT A LIE?" She screamed.

"I.."

"WHAT?"

"I like you." He croaked out. Katara slowly shook her head, she refused to believe it, refused to believe a word that just came out of his mouth. She couldn't accept that, couldn't accept him saying something as strange or as contradicting to his nature as 'I like you.'

"No… You don't." She seethed with a venom so potent that it hurt Zuko to hear her say it. "You don't even know me."

"But I do know you… I know that you made me see myself without the influence of the world, you made me see what I did."

"You made yourself see… Not get off of me and stop telling me lies."

"No… Not until you say it back, not until you say it to me."

"You want me to say I like you?"

"Yes."

"I'm not going to stand here and pretend for you because you want me to feel the same way. You can't like me because you think I did those things, YOU did those things… You made yourself see because you knew it was wrong. I didn't offer you anything you didn't already have and I'm not going to pretend so you can go to bed knowing that someone else was the one that did it that way if things don't go right, you can blame it all on blind stupid Katara."

"But that's not it!"

"Then tell me why you like me."

"Because…. You… helped me."

"Zuko, don't mix gratitude with longing. You don't know who I am… how can you like what you don't understand? When you see the real me… Then I'll believe you. But until then, you're only fond of small parts of a whole." Katara alleged and brushed past him indifferently while the prince was left to pick up his shattered dignity. He just threw himself out there and she walked over it like he was nothing but dirt, didn't she FEEL that… Zeal, that passion the other night? Or was he just imaging it? No… He couldn't have… He FELT it…

"I know who you are, Katara. You're a kind sympathetic soul that thinks the world can be fixed with a few courageous words. You're a person who feels deeply for causes, a person who loves humanity when it sometimes doesn't love her back. You're patient, you're logical, you have a level head in a time of crisis. You're a beautiful person on the inside and out. But you have flaws, big ones too. You like to be in control which is why you hate me so much, you like knowing what's happening which is why you stopped kissing me, and you're afraid to take chances which is why you don't love anyone." Zuko declared in a resolute tone. Katara turned to him and he saw a look he couldn't quite decipher.

"Why are you doing this?" She asked brokenly.

"Because… you helped me when no one else would. Just give it a chance… Give me a chance. For once in your life stop being logical and embrace that fiery soul you have in you. Go wild and forget what the world thinks. I gave you one night now give me one night."

"I…" Now she was speechless. This was even more jarring than Zuko kissing her. This was… Zuko. "Fine…" She said in the end. "Fine… But I don't like you."

"We can change that." Zuko said taking to quick steps to stand in front of her. Katara shrank back and took a guarded step away, last night was a surprise, but today she was much more alert and vindicated of death provoked emotions.

"What are you doing?" She asked carefully. Zuko grabbed Katara and gruffly pulled her close. He didn't hesitate and within a minute his lips were pressed passionately against Katara's, urging her to respond.

She fought with him at first, unwilling to yield to his way but her determination to resist melted as she fell into the kiss. He was much more demanding now, much more adamant to take from her and she enjoyed and liked that he was slightly rougher and more insistent than yesterday. Her body swelled with emotion again, so ready for him to whisk her away into oblivion. She felt as if she was poisoned, her skin teeming to the brim with searing desire for his mouth to run over hers again and again and again. When she felt his tongue press against her lips she allowed him access and felt her knees weaken as the completely new sensation washed over her. His silky tongue flicked playfully against her own, massaging her and exploring her.

Zuko couldn't seem to stop himself, he was euphoric. He pulled her down onto her bedroll and guided her onto the mat. His mouth traveled down to the sweet spot and he smiled into her flesh as he felt her body buck in surprise. He left his hot kisses on her neck and tangled his hand in her hair. The prince wanted more, he wanted to drink her in, he suddenly wanted to be inside her.

His hand traveled down to the bottom of her shirt before he slid it underneath but Katara tensed.

"No… I … I can't do this…" She said pushing his hand away. Zuko pulled back and balanced him self above her on his palms.

"What?"

"I don't want you to… think that it's ok to kiss me." Katara said pulling away from under him. She sat up and took a few steadying breaths. Zuko looked at her back curiously, he couldn't understand why she wanted to stop.

"I'm sorry… But… I DID get the impression that you liked it, didn't I?" Zuko asked a bit peeved. Katara turned to him and frowned.

"I certainly did not. You think that just because you kiss me once you can kiss me again and fix everything? Well I'm not going to be another… notch on your belt and I don't even like you so don't touch me like that anymore." Katara spat sourly standing up and walking away to put some distance between her and the glowering prince. Zuko was livid once again but the tiny voice at the back of his mind told him she WAS justified in feeling the way she did… After all, what did he expect? That she would just spread her legs and invite him in after he said he liked her?

"Fine. But I know that you wanted it. I won't touch you anymore. You'll just have to touch me." Zuko said laying down on her mat. Katara glared at him and almost stamped her foot incredulously.

"I WILL NOT! What makes YOU think that?" She barked eyeing him with antagonism. Zuko smirked.

"Because I know you'll be dying to have me. Maybe not now, but soon. You won't admit you like me yet because you hated me only a few days ago but you'll be under me just as sure as the sun rises."

"AH! You pompous asshole! You think that just because I got lost in ONE CRAPPY little kiss I'll be screwing you? Well NEWS FLASH, I'm not! I'm not a whore and I'm definitely not going indulge in your stupid fantasies! I can't even believe you right now, don't even…. Oh…. JUST DON'T SAY ANYTHING!" She growled turning on her heel and throwing herself against a tree.

"Fine…" He said as a priggish grin fell onto his lips. "Good night."

Katara grumbled something incoherent but Zuko was sure it was a curse in his name. He closed his eyes and fell asleep easily.

* * *

"_Mom?" Zuko asked walking into the dark cell. The young prince lit his palm and searched the room in the amber glow that blanketed the room. The queen looked up from her spot on the floor and stopped her rocking. Zuko looked his face away in shame, he couldn't bear the sight of his mother._

_She looked over him for a moment but saw nothing, her eyes couldn't recognize her own son. Dementia had restricted her daily tasks to little more than swaying on the floor or screaming. She was left in the dank cell to do just that.._

_The queen was still a young woman, she was betrothed to the fire lord when she turned 15. A year later, she was with child and just before her sixteenth birthday, she gave birth to her baby boy Zuko. _

_After 14 years, her mind couldn't take the dictatorial manner her husband used to control his county and she cracked, reduced to a common prisoner deep in the belly of the fire nation dungeons. Zuko often came to see her, his childhood still riddled with the memory of the queen's maternal love and kindness. _

_But now she was emotionally detached and apathetic-- a broken doll in need of mending. _

_But Zuko couldn't help her._

"_I came to see you… for the last time." Zuko said not quite sure if his mother understood the broken words pouring from his mouth. "I did something really bad today and now I have to leave… forever maybe. Dad wants me to find the avatar but… he's been missing for over 100 years and I don't think I'll find him.." _

'_Before you die' he wanted to say but it didn't come out from his lips. He sat there looking at his mother, the scent of urine burning the inside of his nose but he never wanted to leave her sight. He pleaded with his father to let her back into the palace, to give her a better environment to live in, but Lord Ozai refused. As far as he was concerned, she was already dead._

_The queen looked to her son and started to scream. _

"_No mom… Please stop… Please don't yell." He pleaded softly but the queen continued and Zuko felt the hot tears burn from behind his eyes. "Please mom… stop…" He whispered knowing she would never hear his pleas even if he screamed them. The prince walked up to her and hugged her emaciated body close, the dingy strands of her black care caked with dirt and things he would have never touched. But she was still his mother and he wouldn't stop touching her even if she was infected with some horrible contagious fatal disease. "Please mom… Please…" He begged letting his salty tears run clear streaks along her dirty skin. He looked on her frail neck and saw the thin necklace that was the only relic from her previous life. Zuko's hand wandered down and he snapped it off putting it into his pocket. She started to cry, but he was sure it wasn't because of his own tears. She was always in her own little world, never quite seeing him._

_Suddenly, his mother threw him off and stood up. Zuko looked to her and watched as a bloodcurdling scream erupted from the queen's mouth and a fire ball formed in her fist. _

"_NO!" Zuko shrieked but she seared his tender flesh and disfigured his face permanently. His rage built, all those years of praying for her health and she burned the face of her own son right where her husband did only hours ago. His dad did left a mark but his mother now melted it even further giving him another ring around the flame shaped burn. _

_She melted the face she created. _

"_I HATE YOU!" Zuko yelled with utter fury flowing through his veins like exploding fireworks. White hot anger pumped through his body in _

_His fist lit up and he yelled as a wall of fire engulfed his screaming mother and she fell silent within a few seconds._

_The smell of burning flesh was enough to make him throw up. _

'_What have I done?' Was all Zuko could wonder as a guard hauled him out and in moments he was thrown at his fathers feet._

"_You're just a murderer Zuko." Ozai said with a triumphant note to his voice. Iroh stood in the side lines and scowled as the king said the words that held to Zuko's mind up until a few days ago. _

"… _Just like me."_

_And the King flicked his wrist dismissing his son and letting him complete the impossible task of capturing the avatar. Iroh watched as Zuko sullenly passed out the doors._

"_I'm sorry father." He said, his voice echoing throughout the royal courtroom. Ozai held his chin up and Iroh frowned. _

"_You should have been my son." _

_

* * *

_

Zuko woke up with a start, his eyes scanning the camp ground. It was the few precious moments before sun rise and Katara was still asleep on his cot. After she realized he had passed out on hers, she took his own.

But she left a MESS, he noted as his belongings were throw haphazardly over the ground. She apparently didn't care about what he would do in the morning but Zuko knew he couldn't really DO anything to punish her. A slap on the wrist would be the only disciplinary action Katara would receive. Zuko walked over to her prone form and raised an eyebrow as a small snort came from her nose.

_She snores… How unladylike. _

"Get up." Zuko threw down at Katara and nudged her gently in her injured arm. The water bender woke with a start and looked strangely at Zuko. "Lift up your sleeve for a minute." Zuko asked watching as Katara moved back the fabric. The prince examined the wound, it was healing nicely but there was still a chance it could get infected.

"Eat breakfast quickly, I want to get out of here already." He said looking toward the direction he would next be traveling in. Katara did as she was told, keeping a cool demeanor the entire time she was with Zuko.

_I'm totally not going to touch HIM again, I honestly don't know what he's thinking…_

How simple life was not too long ago! Aang was always the center for everyone's world, the Avatar was the all consuming thought for prince Zuko. Although his feelings seemed to come less of the air bender, Katara knew that his consuming purpose would never waver from getting back home. Zuko liking her would never stop the prince from craving the one being that could give him back honor, and honor was the most important commodity any ruler could offer.

A few hours passed and the prince broke the silence.

"Katara, look." Zuko commanded. Through the dense forest the water bender could see the few beams of light coming in from the clearing.

They were almost out.

* * *

I'm going on a camping trip in about an hour but I thought hey, why not put a chapter out before I go?

To answer a few questions:

**Why don't you show what Aang an Sokka are doing? **

You'll see why.

Oh wait…. That's like the only question.

SEND IN YOUR CHARACTER LIST!

I'm still doing the RP so send emails or put yours in a review and I'll mail you the url when I get back!


	14. The Reunion

The Midnight Woods

Chapter 14: The Reunion

Zuko couldn't help but let his excitement show for the briefest of moments. They were finally out of the damned forest. The prince threw on his diplomatic visage and as the first rays of light played across his face, a fire nation officer caught sight of the missing prince. He sounded his horn and within minutes troops had galloped to greet Zuko.

Katara watched solemnly as they circled them, their curious eyes slanted in interest.

_Wasn't that the water tribe girl?_

_Didn't she travel with the avatar?_

_What was she doing with Zuko?_

She could HEAR their thoughts; she just knew that the innermost contemplations revolved around her presence with Zuko.

"Give me a horse." Zuko commanded and the troops immediately presented the prince with a stallion. Zuko helped Katara up and then saddled himself before urging the horse into a gentle gallop across the clearing to the nation's camp. What was she doing? Shouldn't she be fighting him right now? Fighting to get away from his grasp?

Probably… But the only thing that concerned her was his body pressed closely against hers once again. Why was she letting herself be taken like this? She did give away her freedom but… What could she hope to achieve by acquiescing to a simple fate like this?

Nothing, he was probably going to throw her in the dungeon like a common criminal, his little 'helpless me' act was probably just to get her to shut up… Why did this only occur to her now? Why couldn't she see if he was as transparent as glass while they were in the woods? Was she really that gullible? Only now, as his troops followed him, did she even consider the fact that all of his actions could have been forged to fool her trusting little heart.

They arrived at the main tent and Zuko dropped from his horse and looked around.

"Come with me." He said simply, his voice still retaining the cold, formal tone that was expected of royalty. Katara looked at him strangely, how easily he could feign emotion, or lack thereof. She was such a fool…

"Zuko, I knew you would make it out. And in one day, that IS impressive." Iroh said glancing briefly to Katara before grinning madly at his nephew. Confusion settled on Zuko's face but vanished quickly.

"What do you mean? I was in that place for well over a week."

"No… It was just yesterday that you disappeared into the forest… The troops saw you fall and…" Iroh stopped and a look of realization dawned on his face. "Ah… So the rumors are true…Time passes much quicker in there… At least it seems to. Well… I'm just glad you're back. Come, you must be hungry."

"I am…" Zuko said in a slight daze. Just ONE day? That was impossible… It seemed so much longer…

"Who is this? Did you pick up a little tribal girl on the way?" Iroh joked sitting down at the table as food was brought to him. Zuko moved Katara into a seat, she was frozen in shock. There were only in there a day?

"This is Katara." Zuko answered filling his plate. Despite his initial shock he still felt the need to answer the pangs his stomach sent out. However, when he looked up again he felt the prying gaze of his uncle burning into him, an unasked question begging to be answered. "She…" What could he say? I really like this girl and even though she's our enemy I think we can be friends? No… Obviously he would be branded with a big beautiful crazy sign just like his mother. "She's my prisoner."

"And she's… eating at the table with you?" Iroh questioned throwing his nephew a calculating glance that didn't go unnoticed by Katara. Sensing danger, the water bender did the only thing she could do in a situation like this: run. She bolted up and threw the goblet of wine at Iroh's face, freezing it instantly on contact. She ran through the tent entrance and barely escaped the grasp of Zuko's troops.

The prince was hot on her trail and as soon as she bolted for the clearing he mounted his horse and raced after her, kicking up clods of dirt and pebbles in a fury. As he neared her he shifted his weight and dipped down, grasping her fiercely around the waist before hoisting her back onto his mount and trotting back to camp.

"Where do you think you're going?" He asked holding her against him steadfastly as she struggled.

"Don't think I don't know what you're thinking. You don't care what I think about you, you'll throw me in a jail cell to rot in misery just so you don't look like an idiot in front of your army." She threw back squirming in his grasp.

"And what if I do? You signed yourself over to me already. If I wanted to kill you then it will be my wish and you have no control over it." He bit back acidly as they entered the camp. "Keep resisting and you'll see how easy it will be to break your neck." Zuko warned and Katara settled in the saddle indignantly. He forced her back into the tent and threw her on the ground as Iroh looked up from his meal.

"What do you plan to do with her?" He asked taking a sip from his cup of tea. Shards of ice still remained in his beard. Zuko glanced down to Katara and saw the daggers in her eyes, she was far from happy. But what COULD he do now? She was still his prisoner and the prince wouldn't be caught dead giving her preferential treatment over any of his other prisoners. But… There was still that voice screaming at the back of his mind, that little blemish in his conscience telling him that she wasn't just a prisoner, she was his friend.

"Give her to the men. When they're done tie her up. I'm through playing games."

Katara's jaw fell and her eyes widened as she looked disbelievingly at the prince.

"You bastard…You just condemned the one person who knew the real you, the one person who saw past the stupid title of 'prince.' I really thought for a moment you were capable of something greater than this but all I see now is the same coward there always was…" Katara cried letting the tears roll down her cheeks. Zuko looked away from her again and motioned for the guards to take her away from his site. Katara threw one last look over her shoulder and let the hot tears raze liquid trails down her face.

"What was that about?" Iroh asked as Zuko sat down wearily to eat. Zuko looked up from his spot and his uncle caught the hint of sadness lurking in the amber pools of his eyes.

"Nothing. She's a delusional little girl who thinks up some outlandish stories."

"She sounded pretty convinced to me." He said taking another shallow sip from the cup. "What _did_ happen back in those woods?"

"A bunch of shit that shouldn't have happened!" He lashed out unexpectedly. Iroh let an austere countenance cross his features as the prince struggled with a conscience torn in two. "Things I wish never happened." He said softly as the crackling embers around him died down.

"I find it strange that she evokes such strong feelings in you and yet you can let her be passed on like the community whore." Iroh barked more bitterly than he intended. Zuko looked up with indignity displayed in his visage, his brash decision now evoking second thoughts.

"I just wanted to be rid of her." He said soberly. "She made me think about… my life. She made me feel SORRY for all the things I've ever done. I don't want to feel sorry, I don't want to feel any of that. That's what got me here in the first place and I can't go back home anymore."

"You really are afraid to look her in the face. She saw the real you Zuko. When all our titles are stripped what do you think lies underneath? Certainly not a crown, a medal, and not a weapon. Sometimes that is all people see, that is all people want to see and yet she looked past those labels to the one thing that very few people take the time to notice. You have to grow up Zuko, a great leader isn't one who guards his feelings from the enemy but one who uses them to make decisions for his country. You're so afraid of looking weak to the world that you lose sight of who you are and lose sight of what's really important in life. Now the one person who's been able to make you see that is being groped by your own county men because you are too craven to face not only her, but yourself. If you take one thing from me Zuko, let it be this: Honor is not something that can be obtained for one's own benefit. It must be given for the profit of others. The mark of a true king isn't one who seeks to conquer the world for rewards, but one who learns that the true gift is a life of lessons and experiences so that you can share them with humanity."

"But it's so hard." Zuko whispered holding his fallen head in his palms. Iroh smiled.

"Life and love is suffering, Zuko. When you accept that you'll see that everything isn't all that bad and it isn't all that painful. But sometimes to become the people we are we must weather the pain that comes with the pleasure. You must face the consequences of your actions to move forward."

"I think I really like her..." He said brokenly. His uncle let out a laugh that echoed in Zuko's ears.

"I don't think she'll feel the same way when your men have their way with her."

"Shit…" Zuko said standing up and marching out of the tent to the men's camp ground.

* * *

"Let go of me!" Katara growled as she was passed from man to man, each trying to peck her on the lips but failing miserably.

"She really thinks we're just going to let her go?" A soldier laughed leaning against his sword hilt.

"I think she does!" Another cried out reaching to grab her. His hand returned with a fistful of her shirt and in one deft movement he ripped the fabric off leaving her there in the thin undergarment. They all laughed at her misfortune and for the love of everything in the universe Katara wanted only to rip their eyes out and cram them in the men's mouths.

"Come on sweetie, we won't hurt you!"

"Stop touching me!" She threw back shielding herself from their impious eyes.

"I'll stop touching you when I drop dead!"

"That can be arranged." Zuko said mordantly as the man grabbed her around the waist. Katara looked up from tear-stained eyes and for a moment was grateful but then remembered he was the reason she was here in the first place. "Let go of her, Private." The prince commanded and watched as the man's hands reluctantly left her side. Zuko walked up and grabbed Katara firmly by her wrist, practically dragging her back to his tent and throwing her casually against the support beam in his room. Katara braced herself against the pole and stared her captor down.

For a minute neither spoke, their eyes did all the talking. Katara was the one that eventually broke the silence.

"Why did you do that?" She asked, no longer angry at Zuko but heartbroken at his childish actions. "Why did you dismiss me so easily?"

Zuko looked to her tired body and then adverted his sober gaze to the floor. Shame present on the deep shadows rolling over his face.

"I just wanted to get rid of you, to go back to the way I use to be. But once you see the truth it's hard to go back living the way you used to live, to go back being the person you were." He paused wondering how it got so easy to blurt out his emotions now. "But I can't let you go."

"Why?" Katara asked slumping against the beam in exhaustion. "Why can't I go to my friends?" She asked as fresh tears ornamented her dark lashes. Zuko looked to her flushed skin and sighed deeply. His arms moved instinctively around her frail body and surprisingly he felt Katara melt into his embrace as her resolve drifted away.

She didn't care anymore, didn't care that Zuko was her enemy or that he was keeping her from Aang and Sokka. She didn't care that he was the son of a tyrant, that he had killed so many. She just wanted to be comforted in any way possible, she wanted to throw away all her emotions- her mothers death and her fathers disappearance. She wanted to just crawl under a rock and dream for the rest of eternity but she knew it was just not possible. The will to fight Zuko wasn't even in her anymore, she just wanted to die.

"I don't know…" The prince answered as he cradled her in his arms. Katara pulled away after a moment and looked into his golden eyes searching for her next course of action. It seemed to be displayed clearly in his face: SLEEP.

"I'm tired." She said remotely and the prince nodded. Zuko picked her up and carried her to his bed laying her broken body down; her eyes never wavered from his own. A few moments later her lids slowly closed and opened and within a few more minutes she was asleep. Zuko watched her chest rise and fall, he watched Katara dreamlessly sleep and wished he could take everything back.

_Why? Why am I reacting like this? It's like nothing and everything makes sense… Like I can't make out what's up or down any more. And it's all because this stupid little girl… This water bender…_

"Zuko?" Iroh asked as his hand grazed the red lining of his tent. The prince didn't bother to turn around, his eyes still glued to the sleeping form of Katara.

"What are you planning to do? It would be wise to have a course of action to take in the morning."

"I… Don't care what happens." Zuko said throwing a lazy glance to his uncle. Iroh's eyes narrowed in antipathy against his indolent reply but they quickly turned calculating.

"Zuko, do not discard your duties in a fit of depression. You have an important job." He scolded lightly. The prince felt his anger rising, it took a bit of discipline to put it back in check for the sake of being respectable to his uncle.

"My job is a fool's errand." He bit back harshly. Iroh gritted his teeth.

"It is an honor-"

"It's a WHAT?" Zuko ruthlessly whispered turning around to face his relative as a flurry of hot embers crackled around him. Iroh looked steadily to his nephew knowing what was to come next. "All I've been doing for the past 5 years is yielding to my fathers ridiculous orders. I've been bending backwards for an impossible task when all I really want is this stupid war to come to an end. My reputation is tainted because of the brainwashing my own father has implemented in his son in order to perpetuate some ridiculous idea that the world belongs to one nation. What human can possible love a monster like me? What nation will willingly accept defeat and follow our ways if the only weapon we have is fear? I'm done with this chase, if my father wants the avatar he can waste five years of his life wandering around a world that scorns his very name. You really want a course of action? Tell my men that they are to return home and let my father know that I release my birthright to a nation forged in blood."

"So you are going to give up?" Iroh asked in slight disbelief, for the prince to denounce his birthright it was… Well it wasn't a GOOD thing for him…

"No…" Zuko said looking to Katara. "I'm going to start over. Tomorrow when the men go back to the ship I want you to go to my chambers and bring back a black box stuffed in the back of my closet."

"What's in it?"

"Nothing of importance but I would like to give it to someone before I go."

"Of course my prince."

"Uncle… Please do not call me prince, the title isn't fitting of someone like myself. Besides, it looks like when my father dies, you'll be next in line." Zuko said collapsing on the bed beside Katara. Iroh smiled dimly before walking out of the tent.

"Like hell I am." He said marching to his sleeping quarters.

* * *

Katara felt the familiar weight of something on her stomach. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked into the solemn sleeping face of the prince, his arms cradled around her protectively as he slept. She slowly slipped from his embrace and walked to a water basin by the bed and dipped her hands into the cool liquid. She drenched her face and opened her eyes to see the sunlight illuminating the walls of the tent. She slept like a rock and it felt wonderful to get such a recuperative sleep for once in that past several months. She hadn't slept on a mattress in so long, especially not till the following day. Her eyes darted to the bed as she watched Zuko stir from his sleep. He said nothing as he sat up, his eyes instead wandered over to a black box she hadn't noticed on one of the tables last night.

"Katara, I need to tell you something important." Zuko said as he wandered over to her with the parcel in hand. "I want you to have this before you go."

Katara reached out and opened the package surprised when her mothers necklace glittered in the morning light.

"But… Three… years… You kept it?"

He merely nodded.

"Wait… What do you mean go?" She asked looking up to him.

"I want you to go back to your friends. My men have informed me of their position, they camped out not too far from here."

"You're letting me go? Why?"

Zuko paused, he didn't think she would ASK why so much as just take the opportunity and go.

"Because I no longer want this life. I'm turning myself in to the Earth Kingdom army."

Katara looked at him strangely. She walked to the tent opening and pulled it open.

There were no men, no tents, just the beaten ground they had camped on. She turned around an let her mouth hang slightly open in shock.

"But they'll kill you." She said walking back to Zuko in a daze.

"I know." He said gravely. Katara's breathing became heavy, wasn't this what she wanted? Didn't she want him to see the error of his ways?

"You can't do this… You can't!" She screamed. "This isn't how it's suppose to be!"

"This is the only way. I'm a horrible person Katara, I've done things that would make your hair stand on end and you know it. I see how wrong I was and now it's my turn to make it right. If the law says I have to die then they law is right. I'm not running from the truth anymore even if it means death." Zuko said watching as tears escaped their imprisonment and whispered down the fleshy planes of Katara's face.

"I'm sorry." She said brokenly, not quite sure how to rectify the situation. Zuko gave a lopsided smile.

"No you aren't." He joked trying to ease her tears. _Why do I care if she's in pain? _"The world will be better without me." He said almost seriously. Katara let another set of tears come but held herself back from becoming a blubbering mess.

"Thank you…" She said softly swallowing a lump forming in the back of her throat. Zuko smiled faintly and rested his arms by his side waiting for her to turn around and march out of his life after turning it inside out.

But she stood there.

"Go Katara, your friends are waiting." Zuko said softly urging her to leave. She looked up and kept the image of his face burned into the back of her mind, it would be the last time she saw it. Taking a few steps back she exited the tent leaving the former prince alone in thought.

_And that's the end of that… Zuko thought as he turned around to sit on the bed. He fought hard not to think of the coming days but he knew his time was up and that he would be tried for the death of all those men. He was going to die. _

Zuko rested his head in his hands and swallowed the lump in his throat, 19 years was a long time to live… But not long enough…

"Zuko?"

He looked up to see Katara walking in, her eyes wet with tears and her mothers necklace pressed firmly in her palm. His eyes were clouded in confusion but the water bender simply but her hand up to silence him and bent down before the fallen prince. She reached out with her palm and brought his hand to her lips leaving a wet imprint on his skin.

"I couldn't leave." She said looking up into his golden eyes. Zuko looked disbelievingly at her his mouth unable to form the words to describe what was going on inside of him. "I couldn't leave…" She said again, faltering as a wave of pain washed over her. "Zuko… Do you know what it's like to fall in love with someone who's already dead?"

He shook his head 'no.'

"It's a terrible pain. Like the idea could just swallow you up in all the sadness you've ever felt. I couldn't leave… because I realized that I've fallen in love with a dead man…. I've fallen in love with you." She said softly letting the impact of her words settle in his ears. Zuko reached down and brushed her lips ever so lightly, the briefest of touches that sent a shiver of ecstasy down his spine. Katara melted into the kiss and stood up between his legs. "Why did you let me leave?" She asked resting her palms on his shoulders. Zuko looked into her eyes and bravely answered.

"Because I love you."

She smiled sadly and bent down to kiss him. They fell back onto the bed and held each other knowing that they couldn't hold back anymore. Zuko's mouth slid over the curve of Katara's neck, her skin blooming with longing under his warm wet lips, her body pulsing with readiness as his hands roamed over her skin. She let his name escape her mouth in the form of a moan and his desire to take her increased tenfold. Katara bent over him and ravaged his mouth in feverish kisses before pulling off him slightly and gently laying her lips on his disfigured eyelid. The prince looked tenderly up at her, surprised she made a move as bold as that.

It made him crave her even more.

His hand ran through her long hair, getting tangled and tugging her head back lightly as he heatedly kissed her lips. His tongue gently pushed against them and she invited Zuko in letting him take in the sweet rewards. Their lower bodies pulsed with longing, both grabbing at each other's clothes. Zuko let the rest of Katara's shirt fall away and marveled at her ample breast.

"You're so beautiful." He said drinking her in as his eyes roamed over her naked torso. Katara let a breath escape her mouth and smiled again as she bent down to kiss him.

"How beautiful?" She asked playfully. Zuko let out an easy laugh and brought her close whispering in her ear: "Word's can not possibly describe." Zuko nibbled on her ear lobe and felt her shiver with pleasure. His hands slid up from her hips and his cradled a her breast before moving on top of her. His head dipped down, hot kisses rolling over her soft skin to the warm spot between her breast. His lips rolled over to one and he caught her taught nipple in his mouth and delighted as Katara bucked in surprise. The new sensation was wonderful, she basked in the feeling of his velvety tongue rolling over the firm peaks and let out strangled gasps of air. Never in a million years did she believe a man could do that do a woman and have it feel just so GOOD. Her nails dug into the flesh of Zuko's back; he winced vaguely but enjoyed the animalistic side of her he evoked. They savored each moment, each touch of skin to skin and their subtle gasps and sighs were the only music punctuating the heavy air of the moment. Zuko peeled away the last of Katara's clothes and looked on the most beautiful creature he'd ever seen.

"Do you… Want this?" He asked shakily not recognizing his own thinned out voice. Katara's lips parted and she looked brazenly upon Zuko with a warm inviting smile.

"I want you." She whispered huskily and at that moment Zuko could no longer keep his desire in check for the sake of Katara- he needed her. His hands moved down to caress the sweetest part of her, his fingers deft and gently probing in all the right areas. The water bender closed her eyes as she let go to the heat of the moment and cried out his name as he became bolder and more aggressive. Katara grabbed him roughly and he turned to her questionably. "I want you now." She said through gritted teeth. Zuko smiled down at her and braced himself. He looked down at his lover and closed his eyes as a pleasure filled moan escaped his lips and he entered her. Katara let out a cry as pain radiated through her body but she held him close begging him to not move. Zuko stayed there for a moment before slowly moving inside her. The water bender basked in the beautiful ache she felt and rocked against him in perfect sync both slowly increasing in tempo until they reached a pivotal point. She started to cry as she climaxed with him and Zuko buried his face into her neck inhaling her scent and feeling the rush of hot tears down his own face.

It was the most beautiful thing he'd ever experienced in his life and Katara thought the very same thing. They both collapsed on the bed panting heavily wondering how they never found this exquisite rapture long ago. And they were sad because they knew it would be the first and last time. He grabbed her and held her close, his own mortality crumbling away.

"Katara?"

"Yes…" She said dreamily, her skin singing from his touch.

"I love you." He breathed in the morning air. Katara closed her eyes and wept.

She fell in love with a dead man and had been the one to bury him.

* * *

AN- Sorry this took so long. I've been going crazy with college (I'm a game design major! I want to make a video game! Whoo hoo!) So… eh… This got put on the side burner. But what a chapter to get back on track with huh! I hope you guys liked it. The end is almost here and you are all going to cry. Muahahaha. 


	15. Moments

-1The Midnight Woods

Chapter 15: Moments

**PLEASE READ!**

I'm really sorry for those who have been pleading for such a long time for me to finish this. Life got a bit… Hectic. I've wandered in and out of heartbreak and life… And now I think it's time to finish this story that I started a few years ago. Here is a little preview… I have to run to work but I will post the rest tonight. However I have a request.

I've recently run into a bit of financial trouble and I need help to pay my rent. If anyone can donate I have a paypal account. My email is Madison. Any little bit helps.

And now onto a taste of what's coming

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Zuko wrapped his arms around Katara and squeezed her gently, breathing in her scent and wishing he could stay.

"I have to leave." He murmured into her head, the sweet aroma rising up to greet him, and to torment. His body ached, his throat felt like it was twisting. Never had he felt so much pain, so much sorrow and it ate into him.

"I'll go with you, I'll march right next to you but please don't leave me." Katara pleaded, rising up from her prone position. Her eyes were wild with terror at the thought that she could loose him.

"You can't possibly say that."

"I am and I will. I love you." She said with a conviction Zuko admired. With all that fire in her heart and eyes Zuko wondered why she was bending water instead of flames.

"Please don't make this harder for me. You know I have to turn myself in. I'm a liability to you and the world. I won't let this pain continue."

"Don't you see? You can make a difference now. Come with me and the Avatar and we will stop your father and bring life and humanity to a nation that has forgotten it. We can be the catalyst for change. What you are proposing is an admiral thing and it counts that you were willing to do it when it the time came. But your death will do nothing but satisfy a few politicians when your life can bring and end to the suffering of millions."

Zuko looked at her, his heart and his pride pulling his soul in multiple directions. It was difficult to know what he should do.

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End file.
